


Misstep

by sarurin



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-09
Updated: 2016-09-22
Packaged: 2018-04-19 21:32:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 36,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4761773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarurin/pseuds/sarurin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yamaguchi wasn't able to go to the same university as Tsukishima, but he's not as lonely as he thought he would be. He joined the volleyball team and Oikawa is there to make his bitter days a bit better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

He wasn’t able to get into the same university as Kei and that was possibly his first mistake.

They sat next to each other during lunch on the rooftop, neither one of them saying a single word. Tadashi kept looking at his lunch, but his appetite had suddenly disappeared. There were so many things going through his mind and he didn’t think he could keep the news to himself for much longer. He just didn’t know how to tell his best friend that he had failed the examination and that they wouldn’t be able to attend the same school. He had tried countless of times, but found himself unable to.

It was a difficult thing to mention especially after they had made so many plans together. While they ended up choosing the same university by accident, Yamaguchi quickly warmed up to the idea of going to the same school as Kei. They had been together for so long that it almost seemed natural for him to try and follow. They had already agreed to rent out an apartment together once they were settled in. In fact, he had already gone ahead and started looking for part time jobs around the area as well. If everything worked out well, then they could even make some time for volleyball.

Their chosen university wasn’t specifically known for it’s athletics or volleyball team for that matter. Still, it was distinguished for its academics and known to be a terribly difficult school to be considered in with a rather low acceptance rate. He had read somewhere in an internet article that it was without a doubt one of the top universities in Japan. That alone scared him, but he was confident in his own intelligence. He thought he could get accepted in if he studied and worked hard.

Of course, sheer effort is never enough which was something he was quite aware off. He and Kei had taken the entrance exam at the same time, but their stress were always set at different levels. The material was complicated for him to understand and he had more trouble solving math problems than his best friend. They helped one another consistently, but the information didn’t seem to process as well for him.

During that entire time, Tadashi remained hopeful. However, when the results were released, the small chance he had was instantly crushed. He decided to keep it a secret. Even though Kei kept asking him about it, he would purposely evade his questions each time.

 Tadashi set his lunch to the side and turned to face Kei after much internal debate. He could feel the palms of his hands starting to sweat uncontrollably. He quietly cleared his throat and took a deep breath.

“Tsukki, there’s something that I’ve been meaning to tell you,” he began, lowering his head slightly when he caught his best friend’s attention. “I should have told you sooner, but I just couldn’t get myself to.”

He was silently shaking with his eyes already filling up with tears. He wanted to be strong, but he couldn’t avoid the sadness that was slowly starting to consume him. His chest ached at the sight of Kei’s sullen eyes. Even without telling him, he probably already knew. Tadashi bit his lip, trying to calm himself down and to drown away the sobs that kept threatening to emerge.

“I wasn’t accepted. We’re not going to attend the same university after all.” He clutched his fists at the sound of his words. There was so much regret and he didn’t know how to get rid of it.

“I kind of already suspected. That’s why you weren’t saying anything about it before, right?” Kei told him, but he wasn’t looking at him anymore. He had stopped eating, placing his lunch over his lap before he looked up at the cloudy sky. He momentarily closed his eyes as he leaned back against the wall behind them. “If you would have been accepted, you would have come running to me to tell me. No, you probably would have called me that very moment. You wouldn’t have hesitated like they way you’ve been now. It was obvious.”

Tadashi tried to smile, but it just wouldn’t come and he felt much worse than before. “Yeah, you’re right. I would have told you that very instance, but I guess there’s nothing that can be done about it now. It’s already too late. I should have studied harder, maybe worked a little harder too.”

“You shouldn’t blame yourself since it’s not your fault really.” Kei was trying to encourage him. He could easily tell, but at the same time, there was something off about the tone of his voice. “There was a lot responsibility placed upon you especially since you were made captain of the team. It was a lot to handle, but you tried your best anyways, right? There should be no regrets.”

“I know, but I still wanted to go to the same university as you. I wanted to continue playing volleyball with you. I didn’t think this would happen.” Tadashi couldn’t keep his feelings bottled up anymore. Everything hurt so much and even a few tears managed to escape from his eyes. Pretty soon, he was crying nonstop. “I’m g-going to miss you so m-much.”

"We'll still keep in touch and it's not like we're never going to see each other again, so stop crying already." Kei started to sound annoyed, but that didn't stop him from wiping his sobbing face with a handkerchief. He kept doing it until he calmed down a bit. "What university are you planning to go to, then? What was your second choice?"

"JO University. It's pretty far away from the one you're going to." Tadashi tried to push Kei's hand away from his face, but he wasn't letting him. Then, he eventually stopped and dropped the napkin on the ground. He placed his bare hands over his cheeks with his thumbs just barely underneath his teary eyes. Tadashi sat motionless, not knowing what to do from Kei’s sudden and unexpected actions. He wasn’t scolding him anymore for crying, but it almost seemed like he wanted to cry himself. Of course, Tadashi felt slightly responsible for everything.

“I haven’t told you this yet either because I was afraid you might persuade me to go to JO instead, but I guess it doesn’t really matter anymore.” Tadashi paused, feeling a bright blush coming on as Kei continued to stare straight into his eyes. It almost seemed like he was sucking the truth right out him with a simple and intense gaze. "I was recently offered a scholarship to play volleyball there and I'm starting consider it. I wasn’t accepted to my first choice of school, so I guess going to JO is the next best option."

"You got a scholarship and yet, you we're planning to leave it to go to the same university as me?" Kei sounded furious and that was the exact reason why he didn't bother to tell him before. He had decided to go to the same school as his best friend since the beginning and it was only now that he was being offered to attend with the condition of playing.

He figured that some university scouts had been present during their last match and they were probably impressed with his killer serves or something. After all, his real and most powerful weapon were probably just his serves. Each time he was able to get more than a few points by mixing a variety serves. As a first year, he was only able to utilize his jump float serve, but now, because of all his acquired experience he had more than a few tactics up his sleeve. While he would never admit it himself, he was quite a threat from that perspective. He could see why maybe some universities would be interested in him. It was a skill only a few could posses. 

Still, that wasn’t the only thing that his opponents were cautious about. It was repeated to him more than a million times that his serves weren’t the only thing that made him strong. As a captain, he was feared for his leadership, for his ability to keep the team together, and for his dedicated integrity. Besides all that, he had also gotten pretty good at blocking.

Kei pinched his cheeks, but it wasn’t hard enough for him to yell over. Instead, he let him just in the same way as he did when they were kids. Back then, whenever he let himself get bullied or whenever he did something wrong, Kei would always pinch his cheeks in the same manner. It was amazing how things had remained the same between them even though so many years had gone by. Now, though, they were finally going to separate.

“Who would refuse an offer like that? I can’t believe what an idiot you are. You know, I’m glad my university rejected you. You would have wasted a good opportunity.”

“Tsukki, that’s mean!” He responded, trying to push his hands away one more time. Kei snickered and continued to bother him. Tadashi was done crying by that point. He felt much better and it was thanks to his best friend. “I was really looking forward to going to the same university as you! We had already made so many plans and stuff, but it never occurred to me that things would turn out this way. Honestly, I should have expected it. I mean, Hinata and Kageyama ended up choosing the same school as well. Wait, I think they were both scouted there?”

“Those guys are idiots too.” Kei let go of his face and turned his focus back on his already cold lunch. He looked at it helplessly before he casually closed the lid instead. “Still, it makes sense that they were both scouted to the same school. They work better that way. Then, I don’t think there’s another soul on the planet that could put up with either of them.”

Tadashi nodded in agreement as he looked up at the cloudy sky, remembering when he first saw Hinata jump. It almost seemed like he could fly, but then again, it was Kageyama that brought out his true potential. They had both improved so much over the last three years and Tadashi was grateful for having them in the team. Everyone was essential, but they wouldn’t have made it as far as they did without them. Even so, the bond they had established was beyond that of regular teammates. He wondered how long it was going to take them to realize it.

“I guess you’re right. They’re really something else and their quicks are still so incredible to watch.” Tadashi sighed as he leaned back against his hands. He let the breeze hit his face, cooling his cheeks were Kei had been pinching him earlier before. “You know, it wouldn’t surprise me if they started dating.”

While he firmly believed it, Tadashi had only mentioned such a topic to Kei as a joke and thought he would just laugh it off. He was never quite expecting a series of questions regarding the matter. “Really? What makes you say that? Have they told you they wanted to date each other or what?”

“Umm, no? It just seems that way to me.” Tadashi fidgeted with his fingers, not knowing what kind of answers Kei was hoping to get from him. “They’re just so close and I really can’t see them without the other, you know? It’s unimaginable. Aside from the fact that they’re really good friends, I get the feeling that they really understand each other. It almost feels like they can read each other’s mind without even saying anything. Because of all that, I guess I could see them going out and stuff.”

“Then, wouldn’t you say that we’re in the same position?”

“What?”

“Nevermind. Forget it.”

No. Tadashi had heard well, but had been caught off guard. He immediately began to wonder what he could have meant even though he had a vague idea. His mouth suddenly went dry and he could feel his cheeks turning bright red again. Was it possible for Kei to even like him in that way? He wanted to ask, but he was too embarrassed for it. Instead, he decided to casually changed topics.

Nothing would make him happier than dating Kei. He liked him since he could remember and he was one of the few people that understood him really well. Though his personality needed some work, he was beautiful and close to perfect in his eyes. He admired him for everything that he was. Kei was the most important person in the entire world and honestly, he didn’t think he could ever find a better friend. For that sole reason, Tadashi prioritize their friendship above everything else. He didn’t want a silly confession ruining their already precious relationship.

However, things were always changing and he never thought that maybe Kei might feel the same way towards him. For some reason, he always thought he had some sort of attraction towards Kuroo, Nekoma’s past captain.

“Anyways, class is about to start. We should really get going.” Tadashi stood up and quickly adjusted his uniform. He was going to bend down to grab his bento when Kei suddenly caught his wrist tightly. He gasped, looking down at his friend with surprise. “Tsukki, what’s wrong!?”

Kei kept pulling him down until their faces were forced to be only a couple of centimeters away. Taking deep breaths, Tadashi felt him getting closer until the gap between them was briefly closed. Then, he was slowly kissed. It was quick and simple, but enough to set his heart racing like crazy.

“I’m going to miss you too.”

…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is no such thing as JO University. That's just me stressing out and not wanting to use an actual Japan university because of inaccuracy. Still, thank you very much for reading! I apologize for any mistakes!
> 
> Chapter 2: He wasn't able to confess his feelings to Kei and that was his second mistake.


	2. Chapter 2

He wasn't able to confess his feelings to Kei and that was his second mistake.

It had been a long day of emotions and sadness since their lives as high schoolers was coming to an end. Tadashi had given the team a speech of encouragement and positivity, but not without a river a tears. He announced their new captain, after receiving an approval of Coach Ukai, and wished them all success in both volleyball and life in general.

Thankfully, he wasn't the only sobbing mess around. Most of the third years, including Hinata and Kageyama, were absolutely torn. It was over for them. There were no more opportunities and the only thing they had left were memories, some pleasant and others not so much. Still, looking back, anyone would feel overwhelming regret and satisfaction. 

Tadashi, for the most, enjoyed his years at Karasuno. He was able to improve as a player, but most importantly, he was able to make so many great friends. He was going to miss them. It sadden him to think that they were going part after everything they had been through.

They all cried and bid farewell to the remaining members as they concluded their last practice session together. He promised to stop by whenever he could, but he knew the following days would be filled with rigorous studying until graduation. He would be busy with preparations before he set off to a new town to a new and bigger school. Then again, that was probably what most third years had in mind.

Kei waited for him outside the gymnasium with his headphones already in place. When he saw him, he slowly started walking away and Tadashi hurried to catch up with him. They walked side by side, for the thousandth time, neither one of them saying a word. Kei's music blasted away, but that was the only thing that stirred the silence away.

They weren't usually like this, however. Before, occasionally, they would stop by the burger shop where they would get something quick to eat. Sometimes they would go to the bookstore to distract their minds. There were other times when they would just hang out at each other's houses to do homework, watch movies, or play games.

Things were a bit different now and Tadashi knew exactly what had caused it. Whether it had been an impulse or a mistake, that didn't change the fact that they had briefly shared a kiss. He had been stunned by his best friend's move, but didn't say anything once the moment was over. Similarly, Kei didn't say anything else regarding the matter, so they both went onto class as if nothing had happen. Tadashi tried not to give the small kiss any sort of significance, but failed miserably. He was affected by it and for the next couple of days he couldn't think of anything else. Still, whenever he tried to bring up the topic, he found himself too embarrassed to speak each time he tried.

Their situation got awkward fast and as a result, they were having trouble facing each other. Tadashi wanted to tell him everything. He wanted to confess his feelings since it seemed he had the slimmest chance of actually being accepted. In all their years together, he had never had any sort of indication of being corresponded until now. It was his only chance and he didn't want to lose it because of his own indecisiveness. He gulped as his pace began to slow down. He lagged behind and he couldn't help but stare at the blond head in front of him.

He seriously loved him too much. He had to say it. He couldn't move away without telling him his true feelings. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down a little. He was nervous, scared to realize that his actions could potentially end their friendship for good.

"Tsukki?" He called him and within a heartbeat, Kei turned around to look at him. Taking off his headphones and placing them around his neck, he waited for him to continue. Tadashi, caught off guard by his distant gaze, stumbled backward and struggled to find the words he had rehearsed a million times all day. "Umm, I....you...are you feeling okay? You've been very quiet lately."

"Aren't I always like this?" He sounded annoyed and Tadashi didn't know what else to say, so he silently began to panic. That wasn't what he meant to say at all. He hadn't confessed yet and he was already getting on Kei's bad side.

"Well, not really, but," Tadashi stopped and quickly adjusted his bag over his shoulder. He cleared his throat once, but coughed a few more times to give himself some time. "I'm sorry, but there's something I've been meaning to ask you for a while. It was about what happened the other day between us. You know, when we were on the roof during lunch. We, I mean, you-"

"I know what you're talking about. You don't have to detail it out." He interrupted him, but he quickly turned away when their eyes met momentarily. Tadashi felt a blush coming as he remember Kei's lips pressing against his. "So, what about it?"

"Nothing! I mean, it's just that I wanted to know what it meant to you." Tadashi's face was burning red and he was glad it was dark outside already. Still, it wasn't dark enough and he was able to see Kei's expression change ever so slightly. He seemed to be torn with confusion and regret. "Ever since then, you've been acting really strange so I wanted to know why you did it. Because, you see, the truth is I-"

"Just forget about it."

Tadashi's knees became weak and for second, he thought he heard wrong. He stumbled back once more since his mind didn't seem ready to accept what was about to happen. Nervously, he quietly laughed to himself and he wanted to change the subject before he was flatly rejected. However, Kei decided to continue on which crushed his small hope completely.

"It was something I did without thinking." It was strange, though. Even in that moment, he sounded so unsure of himself that even Tadashi was having trouble believing him. He probably didn’t realize it himself, but he could see, thanks to the light post a couple of footsteps away, Kei’s trembling hands as he spoke. “Why do you ask? We’re you bothered that I kissed you or something?”

“No, that’s not it at all.” He didn’t think he could confess, at least not yet. With a long sigh, he let go of the idea immediately. Even if Kei did like him back, Tadashi knew he would never step forward to start a formal relationship with him. After all, he had expectations to live up to. Gathering all the courage he could muster, Tadashi forced a smile on his face and decided to put the situation behind him. His moments with Kei were precious and he wasn’t about to risk his friendship over something that could wait. “Ohh, my mom made a really delicious cake the other day to celebrate being accepted into college! You should stop by and grab some!”

Kei looked at him, surprise written all over his face. He was about to apologize and take back the suggestion when he his friend return the smile with a small nod. He kept his headphones around his neck, but turned off his music as they started walking again. Their kiss wasn’t mentioned again that night which was reliving and yet unfortunate.

...

Graduation came and pretty soon, their departure followed as well. Kei was set to leave first and he was able to accompany him to the airport with his brother. It was definitely an exciting day, but Tadashi wasn’t happy at all. He remained silent as Akiteru hugged the life out of his little brother. He was afraid he would end up crying if he tried to speak so he didn't even bother. If he had only been accepted, then they would both be leaving together to their new university. Sadly, things didn’t work out that way and he had to see his friend leave without him.

Then, he hadn’t confessed his feelings yet and it was stressing him out. He told himself he would. Everyday he would wake up with that in mind, but he never got around to it for one reason or another. Now, his last chance was starting to slip away as well. Tadashi bit his lip, not knowing what else to do. He and Kei had been together for so long that it was unnatural to even think that he was no longer going to see him on daily basis. He was going to go off and make new friends, possibly even leave him behind. They had promised to keep in touch, but honestly, it wasn’t going to be the same.

Countless of times, Kei tried to push his brother off with angry remarks, but Akiteru could only laugh in response. They were causing a scene which was more embarrassment than Kei could handle at once. Tadashi smiled at the sight of them together and while Akiteru was playing around much more than usual, his eyes were sad.

After a short while, Akiteru went off somewhere and he pushed him toward Kei as he was leaving. He gave him a weak smile, pronouncing that he was going to find a restroom somewhere. Tadashi, completely puzzled, found himself standing a little too close Kei and quickly stepped back. He scratched the back of his neck with a nervous laugh escaping his lips, hoping Akiteru hadn’t left them there alone on purpose. Then again, knowing him, he was probably hiding somewhere and watching their awkwardness develop from afar.

“I can’t believe this day is finally here.” He decided to break the silence first since the blond seemed to be awfully uncomfortable. They hadn’t really spoken much that day. When he met up them at their household, Tadashi could almost swear Kei was avoiding him. Then again, he couldn’t really blame him since he sure he would have done the same thing. “I’ve given it a lot of thought and it’s really going to be...weird not having you around...anymore.”

That’s what he had been afraid of the entire time. Not even one sentence and he was already crying. He tried to hide his face behind his arm, desperately hoping his tears would stop but they didn’t. They kept on going.

Kei was more than his best friend. He had been, for the longest time, a person he admired and a person he strived to be like. He was the person he looked up to for everything. He made him, through experience and as a teammate, stronger. Even though he was a bit mean and harsh sometimes, he helped and encouraged him whenever he needed him. He was thankful for his company and for his friendship. He didn’t know it yet, but he was also his first love. With this in mind, Tadashi opened his mouth to tell him, but his words were drowned away by sobs.

“Pathetic.” He heard him say, but he wasn’t angry. He wasn’t scolding at him either and it was only then that he realized that he was referring to himself. Kei wasn't crying out of control like he was, but he was close to. He took off his glasses and for a moment, he continuously rubbed his eyes with his fingers. His frown was visible now which only made Tadashi cry even more. “Shut up, Yamaguchi.”

“Sorry, Tsukki,” was his usual response, but this time he really did mean it since there was no way he could get himself to stop. If Akiteru was making a scene before, then he was almost sure they had grabbed even more stares with them tearing up in such a ugly manner. Still, he couldn’t help it and he couldn’t hold it in anymore. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you. I-”

This grabbed Kei’s attention and he quickly put his glasses back on. Tadashi, with a trembling hand, grabbed the sleeve of his shirt and held it with a tight grip. He didn’t know if he could tell or not, but he seriously didn’t want him to leave. He was sure that after that day, things would never be the same again and he was afraid of that. They weren’t indifferent to change. Then, he wasn’t entirely sure what it was, but he had a feeling that something was going to come in between them.

Of course, he was right because in that split second, Akiteru came rushing toward them. He hugged them both and joined their crying. He had probably been holding it in, but unlike him, had managed to hold it in much longer than he was able to. Tadashi calmed himself down at the sight of Akiteru tearing up, but he was in no position to console him. Even so, he could feel Kei silently watching him and that’s when he remembered that he still hadn't told him. Again, for the millionth time, he had failed.

Kei left them after a while and Tadashi could only watch his friend go with a broken heart. He didn’t get to know how much he loved him. He wasn't able to confess after all, but he was sure that he would carry those feelings with him forever. So, he continued to wave goodbye even when Kei was completely gone from sight.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for reading and I apologize for my mistakes!
> 
> Chapter 3: He joined the volleyball team and met Oikawa Tooru. That was, without a doubt, his third mistake.


	3. Chapter 3

 He joined the volleyball team and met Oikawa Tooru. That was, without a doubt, his third mistake.

It was completely different from Karasuno. Practice was hard, gruesome, and almost impossible in certain occasions. There were times when he simply couldn’t keep up and had to ask for a couple of minutes of rest. His senpais were compassionate, however. They completely understood since they had been in the same situation during their first year as well. They were supportive and constantly told him that he would get used to the new flow of the game with time. Tadashi was grateful, pleased with the fact that he had people he could rely on when he needed them.

But, Oikawa was different and he still couldn’t believe he had to refer to him as a teammate. He had no idea he had chosen the same university as him and if he would have known about such a detail, then he definitely would have considered taking a different route. Aside from the fact that he didn’t particularly like him, Oikawa just seemed too much deal with. He was skilled beyond comparison. He was probably the best player in the team by far, but his presence made him uncomfortable and incredibly nervous. Then, he didn’t understand why, but he was specifically stricter with him than others.

He first saw him during the first year introduction and Tadashi desperately wished that he wouldn’t be recognized, but, sadly, that was too much to hope for. When it was his turn to state his name and former position, he immediately caught Oikawa’s attention. He turned to look at him with a devilish smirk, with mischievous eyes that made him shiver.

“I’m Yamaguchi Tadashi from Karasuno High, middle blocker with a specialty in serves.”

The captain nodded and proceeded on to the next member standing next to him. Tadashi took a deep breath, ignoring the gaze that he was receiving from Oikawa. However, it was only until much later that he discovered that he was the current vice-captain of the team. Surely, he had just been welcomed to hell.

To prove themselves worthy, they were engaged in a quick practice match. The entire team assembled into two teams, but the focus was primarily placed on the first years. Thankfully, Oikawa didn’t play among them and had choose to stand by the sidelines instead. He heard him say that he just wanted to watch and see the new talents that had been recruited.

Still, Tadashi was overly aware that he was placing most of his focus on him. He quickly stumbled into position with his legs more shaky than usual. If Kei was there with him, he probably wouldn’t be feeling so terrible and anxious. Since that wasn’t the case, he needed to find a way to push his insecurities. It was his fight now. He was on his own and he was determined to succeed.  He wasn’t going to let himself be intimidated by Oikawa. That was probably what he wanted.

While he wasn’t expecting to be regular, Tadashi at least hoped to impress the coaches and the others to be considered one day. He didn’t particularly think he would be able to standout amongst the other players, but he had his moments throughout the game. The other first years were extraordinarily better. They had probably worked hard to get that good and of course, he wasn't much different. He had gotten a few nods from the Captain when it his turn in the rotation to serve. He was unstoppable. It made him smile and Oikawa continued to observe with interest despite the bitter expression.

Tadashi was positive that they would never get along. Oikawa probably saw him as a threat which was quite ridiculous and almost unimaginable. Also, quite amusing. He kept this thought in the back of his mind until the practice match was officially over. They were released and Tadashi tried to rush to the locker rooms without a confronting his past rival, but Oikawa was the one that had called him out first. Tadashi wanted the Earth to swallow him.

“Hey, never expected to see you here, little pinch server.” His voice stung with venom. Tadashi tried not to think much about it, but Oikawa’s beautiful brown eyes were threatening. He approached him. He stood in front him and tried to make him feel small in comparison. His presence was strong, pressuring and overwhelming. Oikawa gave him a smile, but it wasn’t sincere at all. They had never talked before and now, he was certain that he would been much better off without the interaction.

“I see you’ve gotten better, huh? You must have practiced hard to have made it to this school, but honestly, out of everyone in Karasuno, you seem like the least menacing. I wonder how long you’ll last until you break.”

He was being awfully mean, but his remarks didn’t bother him. He wondered if he was still a bit resentful from their victory a couple of years back. Tadashi decided to keep quiet and waited until Oikawa left him alone. He took a deep breath, wiping the droplets of sweat from the rim of his forehead. Kageyama had been right the entire time. Oikawa was a complete jerk. Even though they were in same team, he had no intention of befriending him.

Tadashi tied up his hair, watching his new vice-captain leave the gymnasium with the others. He seemed to get along well with the other first years, so he didn’t understand why he had become the only exception. Still, it didn’t matter. His time with Kei had given him enough experience to deal with people with troubling personalities.

...

Night had already fallen, but a majority of them still hadn’t finished their assigned laps around campus. Tadashi had briefly stopped to catched his breath, but that caused him to fall behind considerably. If he didn’t hurry, then the others were going to finish before him. After another minute or so, he continued running until he finally reached the goal. His time had been slow again, but he was greatly improving. The captain had even mentioned it to him the other day. Of course, the vice-captain thought otherwise.

“That took too long, Yama-chan.” He greeted him with his hands crossed and with an annoying smile that was especially reserved for him. Tadashi rolled his eyes. “You're never going to become a regular in that state. There’s more to being in this team than serving, but I’m sure aware of that anyways.”

Surprisingly, however, Oikawa handed him a water bottle. He took it, but didn’t drink from it until he was sure he wasn’t about to be poisoned. His reluctance caused the vice-captain to laugh. Tadashi became baffled by his perfection. “Contrary to what you probably believe, I don’t hate you. I can see why you were brought to team. You have potential. There’s more in you than you think and it’s annoying that you haven’t realized it yet, but I guess that’s my job. I saw that you were Karasuno’s captain in the previous year. That’s pretty impressive. I underestimated you and thought you were weak. Sorry.”

He walked away after that, but Tadashi strangely believed him. His heart pulse slightly elevated. He sighed, dried off some sweat with the towel Oikawa had brought him as well and decided to run for just a bit more. He probably didn’t mean to be, but his current vice-captain and setter was awfully encouraging. He hated it.

It wasn’t until he was home, laying in bed that his mind would drift to Kei. He would email and call him occasionally, but recently he had been so busy with practice and school that he hadn’t had a chance to have a decent conversation. He missed him and there were times when he wished he was there. His flatmates weren’t exactly the friendliest, but they left him alone a majority of the time. They got along quite well usually. Even so, it couldn’t compare to what he had hoped to build with Kei.

Tadashi didn’t want to complain, but he was sure he would have been much more content if he would have remained by Kei’s side. More often than not, he would catch himself thinking about the person he loved the most.

His days in college were nothing like high school. While he was faced with more responsibilities than he could ever imagine, they were less supervised. He was successfully able to balance his academic studies in between volleyball, but sadly, his social life was clearly lacking. He hadn’t necessarily made any new friends outside of team which made him incredibly lonely sometimes. Tadashi occasionally found himself eating alone or studying in the library by himself when he wasn’t on the court. He really did miss Kei. He missed having him around terribly.  

And yet, Oikawa quickly adapted to make those days a bit better. He wasn’t oblivious or dense enough to ignore his attempts. Sometimes he would surprise him in the library with lunch while on other instances he would drag him out to eat with his own friends. He didn’t really fit in with them, but Oikawa did everything he could to make him have a good time. Then, he would help him out with his assignments and homework, so they could practice later on together. For some reason, he was always around like if he was trying to fill the void that Kei had left. He probably wasn’t aware of it, but his careless gestures made him happier.

He began to realize that maybe the Grand King wasn’t such a big jerk after all. He had to reconsider his first impression of him.

...

“Again, Yama-chan? Why are you looking so upset? Isn’t it great? You’re going to come with us to the practice match! That’s big news. Though, I can’t guarantee that you’re going to play, but hey, there is a chance that you might pinch serve.” Oikawa ruffled his hair and he instantly tried to push his hand away. He had been assigned to clean up by the others, but Oikawa had stayed there with him. He wasn’t helping, just annoying him in some way or another.

“Yeah, I guess. I’m happy that I was considered.” Tadashi told him, but his enthusiasm was missing. That’s when his vice-captain took the ball from his hands. He lightly threw it up in the air before giving him a cunning smile. Tadashi gulped since he knew exactly what was coming. After being around Oikawa for a few weeks, he was aware of how his mind worked.

“Let’s practice together.” Tadashi ignored his suggestion and continued to pick the scattered equipment. His entire body was sore. Aside from daily practice, Oikawa had begun to give private lessons that he never asked for. They were extremely helpful and valuable, but they would extend on for what seemed like hours. The setter wouldn’t let him be until he accomplished or learned some sort of new trick. “We can work on your receives. Overall, you're pretty terrible with them.”

“Maybe some other time. I’m kind of busy as you can see. Besides, didn’t the captain tell you not to overwork yourself the other day?” He stated, but he only got a shrug from Oikawa. He took the cart of volleyballs away from him and quickly told him to stand on the other side of the net. Tadashi didn’t seem to have much of choice, so he did as he was told. He purposefully yawned, hoping Oikawa would notice how tired he was already. “Oikawa-san, is this really necessary? I’m suppose to be cleaning up. The captain is going to get mad at us for this.”

“It’s okay. He won’t say anything, I promise, and if he does then I’ll take responsibility for it. So, relax! Stop worrying so much. It’s not like we’re doing anything bad.” He spun the volleyball in his hands and Tadashi got into position. He hadn’t tossed yet and he was already sweating. He could only imagine what he was up against and he was certain that he wasn’t ready for it.

“You’re getting a chance to look at my awesome serves from up close. You should appreciate it. If you get used to them, then you’ll be able to go against anything.”

He was so confident that it annoyed him. When the session began, Tadashi was faced with the reality that Oikawa was still the best. He couldn’t keep up with him. A few minutes had gone by and he was already out of breath. He was fast, precise, and clever. Tadashi couldn’t receive them well. In fact, he couldn’t at all which made Oikawa’s ego grow even more. It was incredibly frustrating. Even though he was in college already, there was so much growing he needed to do. He asked for a timeout, but his request was completely ignored.

Even so, he was pretty incredible. In such a short amount of time, Oikawa had found his strengths and weakness and used them against him to make him a better player.

Tadashi wanted to go home. He had promised Kei that he was going to call him, but now he was too busy dealing with Oikawa and his insane serves. Again. At some point, his exhaustion got the best of him and he ended up taking a hit straight in the face. He instantly fell back and while he wasn’t in any severe pain, Tadashi couldn’t get up from embarrassment. He laid there on the cool floor for the longest time until Oikawa came to check on him. He looked at him from above, but he could tell he was trying to suppress his laughter. He had done it on purpose. He was sure of it and the smug expression written on his face said it all.

“That was a pretty good hit.” He extended his hand for him to grab, but Tadashi was wary about accepting his help when he had just been struck in the face. However, Oikawa never left, so he ended up taking it. “I didn’t mean to strike you in the face, though. Sorry. But, hey, at least you’re improving and to make it up to you, I’ll help you clean up.”

Dealing with Oikawa was difficult, but it was slowly becoming more tolerable.

...

They were having a practice match with a nearby university. A majority of the first years came along, but he was one of the few out of the lot that were given any sign that they might actually play. He was excited and nervous at the same time. He wasn’t sure what to expect. He had heard from his teammates that the team they were up against was extremely capable. Regionally, they weren’t the best, but over the years, they had formed a solid rivalry. The captain assured them that no team should ever be underestimated. They all ultimately had the same goal; winning.

Tadashi nodded and tried to cheer along with the team chant before they got on the bus. He looked around for Oikawa, but he couldn’t see him anywhere. Then, he spotted him a bit further back with his apparent fangirls. They were gloating and squealing over him like if he was the greatest being to exist in the entire planet. He could only roll his eyes and got on the bus with the others. Why was he waiting for him anyways? They weren’t even friends that way.

Shifting uncomfortably in his seat, Tadashi pulled out his cellphone and sent Kei a quick message. Even though they weren’t together, he knew he had his support despite the distance. _Well, I’m going to my first practice match. I hope I get to play. I’ve been waiting for this chance for a long time. Wish me luck!_

He replied immediately which brought a bright smile across his face. _You’ll do fine. I believe in you._

Tadashi sighed and leaned back in his seat as he looked outside the window. He was really looking forward to the game now. He wanted to prove himself worthy to the team and show them that he was devoted to win. The calm silence that surrounded him didn’t last long, sadly. Oikawa hurriedly sat next to him, startling him and causing him to jump suddenly in his seat. His heart started beating even faster since his face was too close. He was so gorgeous that it almost left him breathless. It was just completely unfair.

“What’s with the smile on your face?” He asked him, lifting a brow suspiciously. Tadashi shook his head and carefully placed his phone back in his pocket before Oikawa pressed the topic further. It wasn’t any of his business, but he didn’t feel like discussing his failed love life. Still, there was an unreasonable amount of disappointment on Oikawa’s face that he didn’t quite understand.

“Well, whatever, I broke up with my girlfriend recently, so all those swarms of girls are trying to get my attention. To bad none of them really seem to interest me in that way. Some of them are really cute, though.”

Tadashi sighed and directed his attention outside the window again. Of course, that was the sort of problem the famous Oikawa Tooru would have. He was talented, good looking and had a sort of pleasant personality. He was, as most people would say, absolutely perfect. He must of read his mind because he gently grabbed his arm right after and asked, “What about you, Yama-chan? Are you free next weekend?”

He signed up to be part of the volleyball team, not for a chance to be one of Oikawa’s potential suitors. It was seriously the worst, but he was undeniably flattered. His face flushed red and he wasn’t sure what to respond. He stuttered, but no coherent words were able form. Then, he wasn’t given the chance to refuse either.

“Good, then. We’ll go on a date.”

It was regrettable and he continued to lament not being accepted into Kei’s school.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was such a long wait and I'm truly sorry! I had to update a little, but I'm happy I decided to continue with this. Still, thank you very much for reading and I apologize for my mistakes!
> 
> Chapter 4: He accidentally tells Oikawa he was bullied as a child and he becomes annoyingly overprotective; his fourth mistake.


	4. Chapter 4

He accidentally tells Oikawa he was bullied as a child and he becomes annoyingly overprotective; his fourth mistake.

Tadashi had watched the events unfold from the bench. He was getting extremely anxious since he was aware of what was going on. They were winning, though. In fact, they had won the first set quite easily with a large margin, but Oikawa had lost his cool since the beginning. His attitude was starting to affect the team. He wouldn’t let go of his foul mood. He was hardly listening to the captain, making moves and plays that had technically been uncalled for. His impatience made him make careless mistakes that were slowly starting to close their leading gap. It was frustrating especially since he felt slightly responsible.

It was Oikawa's turn to serve again and Tadashi could only hold his breath as he watched the setter position himself with an incredible sense of concentration. He was frightening, but in that moment, he only had his sight set on one particular person. They had become Oikawa’s target even before the game. With a threatening smile spreading across his face, Oikawa threw the ball in the air and sent it over the net towards the guy. Once again, for the millionth time that hour, he still didn’t know how receive it. The ball hit his forearm, but expecting such a result, his teammates tried to reach out to help. They failed which brought Oikawa an immense joyous laugh.

Tadashi regretted telling him.

He recognized him. He noticed him immediately. Tadashi couldn't believe it at first since it seemed terribly unlikely, but there he was. One of the boys that had bullied him throughout his years in elementary was their opponent. Coincidences were scary and he hoped he would go unseen throughout the rest of the match. He became uneasy as unpleasant memories came flooding in. He suddenly felt a bit nauseous as his mouth went dry. Tadashi turned around immediately, deciding to go the restroom later since his former aggressor had just walked out. He rapidly headed back to the court, but his name was called anyways.

“Tadashi? That’s you?”

Still, it wasn’t that he was afraid of seeing him again. He was almost sure that he was much more capable of defending himself than ever before. He was stronger, he was braver. He was definitely taller compared to the last time they had seen each other. His height had almost reached Kei’s level throughout the years. However, he preferred to keep his distance. He was afraid of what would happen if he didn’t do so otherwise. While he had gotten stronger, his insecurities still remained.

“Hey, I’m talking to you?” Yamaguchi stopped walking and took a deep breath before he turned to face the person that had oppressed and had caused him to doubt himself since then. The guy, Koizumi Daiki, seemed surprised. He probably didn’t expect him to turn around. He must of have realized that he was no longer that frightful child that was always constantly shoved around. He steadily took a step back. “So it is you, huh? Didn’t know you had gotten into volleyball too. Who would have thought.”

Tadashi remained silent even though his hands were slightly shaking from that looming deep voice. He had, at least physically, changed, but even then he wasn’t much taller than him at all. There was probably, at most, a centimeter or two difference. Suddenly, Koizumi looked around and gave him a confused grin that made Tadashi roll his eyes. “So, where’s that guy Tsukishima?”

He didn’t get a chance to answer, but it’s not that he was going to anyways. The guy was called away one of his team members, saying that they were starting to warm up already. His former bully stumbled forward and followed his teammate. “Well, I guess I’ll see you later, Tadashi.”

After that, he was completely out of it and he couldn’t get himself to concentrate. He was nervous about the match, but for a whole different reason. He was asked by the captain to practice for bit before they began. He did so for a while by spiking, but he was messing up with even the simplest tosses. It frustrated Oikawa terribly since he knew, from their private sessions, that he could do a thousand times better. He called him over several minutes later, but Tadashi didn’t respond right away.

He probably realized something was wrong and he instantly approached him with a perplexed expression. “Hey, what’s going on, Yama-chan? You’re face is pale. Are you nervous about your first match? I can assure you that there is nothing to worry about. It's not even an official game. Just take a deep breath and relax! We’re going to win no matter what!”

“Well, it’s not that actually. I have confidence in my team.” His voice was to low for even him to hear and he didn’t know where else to look to avoid Oikawa’s brown piercing eyes. Then, he got closer to him which only made him feel worse. He looked over at the opposing team and gulped loudly when he met the eyes of his past bully. Listening to Oikawa’s advice, he tried to calm down a little. He didn’t have Kei to hide behind, but he was convinced he didn’t anyone shielding him anymore.

His gaze didn’t falter, though, and somehow the guy ended up smiling at him. Tadashi quickly turned around, completely unsure about what he had just seen. He didn’t expect him to be mess around again. After all, they were already in college and he was sure that some sense of maturity had entered the the guy at least. He didn’t think his former bully would go out of his way to pick a fight with him, but even if he did, he wanted to be ready. He had to be prepared for anything. From what he could remember, Koizumi Daiki, wasn’t the smartest person.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on or not?” Oikawa pouted as his other teammates scurried and ran around them. Tadashi gave the guy another quick glance, but he had already gone back to practice. He figured that maybe he was making a big deal out of something insignificantly small, so he didn’t see anything wrong with telling Oikawa. After all, he was almost sure he wouldn’t leave him alone if he didn’t say what was bothering him. Since they started practicing together, his vice-captain had become the only person in his entire university he could confide in.

“Well, I just suddenly remembered something from a long time ago. I thought I had forgotten it already.” Tadashi began, shaking his head as he adjusted his uniform. “One of the guys from the other team, number seven, he used to pick on me when I was a kid. It’s so strange bumping into him here of all places. If that wasn’t bad enough, he still actually remembers me and I kind of do to. Very well, unfortunately.”

Oikawa turned his attention to other team and signaled out the person he was referring to. The traces of his smile had disappeared completely. He became serious, frighteningly so, but Tadashi didn’t think much of it. He was unaware that Oikawa’s mind had already started scheming trouble. “Really? What did he do?”

“He and his group of friends used to push me around a lot, I guess. He was the leader, so the others would do whatever he said. Still, they would insult me and call me names whenever they had the chance.” Tadashi tied his hair back tighter. He placed a clip on top to pull back the strands that kept bothering his eyes. “It’s not like I’m scared of him still, but seeing him so suddenly does make me nervous. My years in elementary weren’t pleasant because of him. I don’t even know the number of times I went home crying. Things got better when Tsukki became my friend, thankfully. I don’t think I would have ever learned to stand up for myself if Tsukki hadn’t appeared. His bullying probably would have continued."

Oikawa wasn’t saying anything which was concerning. That’s when he realized what he had done. However, it was too late to dismiss the whole story with a laugh. Oikawa went around him and was heading toward the other side of the court, to the guy that had practically ruined part of his childhood. Tadashi panicked at the sight of Oikawa’s furious expression. He immediately stood in front of him, extending his hands to hold him back. He didn’t know what he was planning to do or say, but Tadashi knew his vice-captain had the habit of snapping on people. He had seen it once before.

“Stop, what are you doing?!” He asked, but he was pretty aware of what was going through the setter’s mind. “It’s okay now. He probably doesn’t instead to do the same from back then. It was such a long time ago. I’m already kind of over it maybe.”

“But, that doesn’t matter!” Oikawa whined to him like a child, pushing his arms away. He had to do everything he could to convince him that things were under control even though he still had yet to confirm that for himself. Then, because of the stressful situation, Tadashi had failed to see just how close he was standing to his vice-captain. His heart skipped a beat upon the realization and immediately backed away a bit. “I want to defend you too! If he tries to mess with you, I’m going to-”

“But, everything is fine now! I can defend myself, so just calm down already.” Tadashi tried to reassure him, but he wasn’t convincing enough. The captain saw what was going and he immediately jogged in their direction. He didn’t need to explain what was going on. The captain gradually pulled Oikawa away and told him it was too early to be picking fights. He wasn't known to be aggressive, but their setter had the habit of annoying people constantly. The captain tried to prevent that from happening at all costs. Tadashi closed his eyes and exhaled. He could only hope Oikawa would end up forgetting the whole thing.

Of course, he didn’t much to his own frustration. Instead, he had made Koizumi Daiki his target and had been sending him impossible serves for him to receive. It went that way throughout most of match, some better than others. He made careless mistakes because of his own boiling anger, an anger that the captain didn’t understand where it had come from. In end, they were able to take both sets, winning the match quite successfully. Tadashi was just glad the whole thing was over, so they could finally go home. He didn’t get a chance to play, but honestly, that was the least of his worries.

They were already walking out of the building when he heard his name being called again from behind. His stomach churned at the sound of it. He turned around to find his past bully standing in front him, still sweating and completely out of breath. He gasped and wiped away the droplets of sweat from his face with his shirt. Tadashi stared at him curiously, wondering what he could possibly want now. Even though nothing happened, he had no intention to start talking to him. Instead, he patiently waited.

“You have a really strong team, but I wanted to play against you and beat you.” He began with a smirk that didn’t faze his indifferent expression. “Sad. We didn’t get around to it. Your setter has some nasty serves. I don’t know why but I had the feeling that he was picking them on me specifically.”

“He kind of was.” Tadashi told him, but that simple thought brought a small smile of his own. Oikawa was such an idiot and yet, he had been slightly touched by his gestures. He wasn’t as scared or as nervous anymore because of him. “Anyways, is that all you wanted?”

“Well, no not really.” The guy stood up straight and there was some hints of embarrassment written all over his face. Tadashi had to keep himself from snorting out loud. A part of him couldn’t believe that he was the guy that had made him cry so many times out of fear. “I kind of wanted to say that I’m sorry. You know, for all the things I did and said to you. I was a brat, honestly. I was disobedient in general and a shit really. Anyways, it’s been such a long time since then and I was thinking that it would be better if we started over. You know, become friends maybe?”

He was going to refuse since he had no desire in befriending him at all, but he didn’t need to. Oikawa interfered, placing an arm between them with an annoyed look on his face. Startled, Tadashi slightly gasped out loud. “He’s not interested, so get lost.”

Koizumi Daiki didn’t get a chance to respond since he was rapidly pulled away by his vice-captain. He was beyond angry, something Tadashi had trouble understanding. He followed Oikawa back to the bus and they sat down next to one another without saying a single word. Scratching his head, he looked at the window, but stared at Oikawa’s reflection on it. He was slumped back against his seat with crossed arms and a pout.

“Hey, Oikawa-san, are you angry about something?” He asked him after much thought, but Oikawa was stubborn and childish on most occasions. He simply shrugged his shoulders. Tadashi sighed since he figured what it was he wanted to hear. “Oh, thank you for earlier. I didn’t need you to defend me, but I appreciate it anyways. You were targeting him on purpose for my sake, weren’t you?”

“That was part of it, but honestly he’s terrible at receiving so it worked out.” Oikawa gave him a mischievous smirk, his mood instantly changing. Then, he slowly closed his eyes. With a yawn, he leaned his head over his shoulder and pretended to be falling asleep. Tadashi, on the other hand, became extremely stiff as the setter leaned on him. He didn’t dare to move or say anything which only amused Oikawa further. “It’s alright, though. I’m your vice-captain, so you're under my care and protection whether you want it or not.”

He gulped, feeling his heart pound rapidly and hoped Oikawa wasn’t being serious.

Unfortunately, things didn’t get much better. In fact, he found Oikawa constantly watching him more than before for reasons he couldn’t quite explain. He became annoyingly clingy and it was starting to get on his nerves. He followed him around everywhere. While he knew how to blend in quite well in most situations,  it was awkward for Tadashi and he wanted him to stop. And again, he wondered if Kei ever felt that way whenever he followed him around.

It was late in the afternoon and he was studying with some his classmates. He didn't quite fit in, but he was asked to join along after one particular lecture that left the entire body of students confused. He usually never said much. He was pretty quiet in nature around people he wasn’t especially comfortable with. They were going over some the difficult material together, so he decided to make an exception from studying alone to hang out with them for a while. However, the group he was involved with strayed away from the topic much too quickly. In matter of minutes, they were fully discussing their private and intimate life.

He could only awkwardly smile at their stories and comments. Even though he desperately wanted to leave, Tadashi didn’t make an effort to move from his chair out of embarrassment. It had taken the group long enoygh to realize that he was the only one that hadn't spoken. In matter of seconds, he asked to share some of his moments as well. They began to bomb him questions, but he honestly didn’t know what to say. Then again, what was he suppose to say when he had never been in a relationship with anyone before because he was too busy dealing with his childhood crush? It was too embarrassing to mention, but he well knew that it was nothing to be ashamed of.

Tadashi wished they could go back to studying, but since their focus had been turned to him, he knew that was unlikely. He gripped on the pen in his hand with hopes he could come up with something to say, but that’s when the guy sitting next to him made his move. He shifted his chair closer and looked at him with content as he leaned his head over his hand. Tadashi was staring at the words from his boring book, but, from the corner of his eyes, he could see a smirk blooming across his classmate’s face. It was frightening and he promised himself to never study with them again.

“Don’t tell me, Yamaguchi-kun.” His voice almost seemed like a hiss. “You're single, aren't you? Have you ever actually been someone?”

He was about to snap at him, telling him that it wasn’t any of his business, but he didn’t have to. The person that had been following him all week appeared to intervene once again in the most unexpected way. “Sorry to break it you, but Yama-chan is mine and it’d be better if you backed away.”

His voice was meanacing that it almost sounded like a growl which made everyone freeze in place. Oikawa lightly touched his arm, motioning him to leave. Tadashi took this chance to gather his things and followed his fuming vice-captain. He had given them the wrong impression. He would have to make sure to clear up the misunderstanding before rumors started spreading. After all, there probably wasn’t a single soul who didn’t know who Oikawa was. When Tadashi finally caught up to him, he made sure to clarify that he, under no circumstances, belonged to him. Oikawa laughed it off as a joke.

Despite everything, he was a bit thankful that time.

Nevertheless, his intentions were unnerving. He didn’t stop thinking about the incident all night. He must have seemed so distracted during practice that one of his senpais approached him to see if he was okay. Tadashi assured him that he was fine. He was just a bit tired, but not specifically because of the tough training. It was from the recent hassle Oikawa was starting to put him through.

“Your hair is getting rather long.” He suddenly told him before he reached out to touch it. Tadashi’s eyes widen at the gesture which caused his senpai to chuckle a bit. He couldn’t hide his embarrassment very well and he immediately started to wonder if he should get a haircut or not. It wasn’t the first time his hair had been mentioned, so he thoroughly wondered if it bothered him in some way. He always made sure to tie it back and he never considered it a problem before. It was a habit he had picked up from Asahi back in the days.

The smile on his older teammate seemed to glow along with his beautiful dark blue eyes that could resemble the sky. He ruffled his hair delightfully which made Tadashi relax a bit. Then, almost as if he had read his mind, he reassured him that it was just fine. “It suits you quite well.”

“My thoughts are the same, Himura-chan!” Oikawa placed his hand around his neck and pulled him unexpectedly close. Of course, he became too flustered to even function. Even in instances like those, his setter still found a reason to intervene. Tadashi didn’t understand what was going through his mind. “Anyways, Yama-chan and I are going to practice our serves, so I hope you don’t mind me stealing him from you, okay?”

Thankfully, his senpai didn’t think much of it and told them to go right ahead. Tadashi immediately pulled himself away. He scolded him for his rude behavior and told him Himura wasn’t doing anything wrong. Still, Oikawa casually shrugged his shoulders, handing him a ball for him to start first. “It’s better to make sure than to be sorry.”

It wasn’t until a while later that practice was finally over. Tadashi stepped out the gym and stretched his hands, feeling his body ache from the intense training session he had been put through. He stared at the dark sky to see the stars slightly emerging despite the thick clouds. However, the smile on his face briefly dropped when he saw Oikawa waiting for him already. It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. In fact, he started walking him home since his meet up with Koizumi. He went toward him and without even asking him, Oikawa walked down the sidewalk right next to him.

“We should get something to eat. I’m so hungry.” He commented, but Tadashi could only shake his head. He was flat out ignored. “Oh, I know a great place we could go to. They have some pretty good fries too. You like those, right, Yama-chan?”

“Listen, Oikawa-san, you don’t have to follow me around everywhere. I can take care of myself if that’s what you’re worried about.” He insisted the millionth time that week and like always, Oikawa rolled his eyes in return. It wasn’t that hard to understand. He didn’t mind Oikawa’s constant company, but he was afraid of it becoming a routine. He was afraid of getting used to it to the point where it could start replacing Kei’s presence. He still missed him. He missed him terribly, a fact he wasn’t sure if Oikawa was aware of.

“It’s not like I’m going to let myself be picked on either. In case you’ve forgotten, I was the captain of previous team. I’ve grown enough to stand up for myself and others. There’s no need to be overly protective of me. I don’t get hurt that easily.” His words were a bit difficult to believe even though there was some truth to them. They both continued walking, but stopped in front of the traffic light. There were no cars driving by, but neither of them moved anyways.

Oikawa placed his hands inside his pockets and didn’t bother to look at him anymore. He spoke softly, his voice was quickly drowned away by the rustling trees. “I know. I get it, but that’s not even the problem anymore. Apparently, you're too dense to actually realize when someone is trying to hit on you.”

“What?” Tadashi’s confusion was answered with a frustrated groan. Oikawa crossed the street and he decided to follow him despite the awkwardness that was starting to develop around them. “I’m sorry. I don’t understand what you’re trying to say?”

“I’m saying you should stick with me.” Oikawa was truly selfish in more ways that he could count. Still, the blush across his face was probably visibly evident.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for reading and I apologize for the mistakes!
> 
> Chapter 5: He decides to move out his current apartment after an argument with his roommates and somehow he becomes Oikawa's roommate instead. He didn't think things could progress any worse.


	5. Chapter 5

 He decides to move out his current apartment after an argument with his roommates and somehow he becomes Oikawa's roommate instead. He didn't think things could progress any worse.

His roommates were typically pretty nice individuals. He talked to them, but even after living in same complex for some time, he never got close to them enough to consider them friends. They were hardly around most of the time. Tadashi would usually bump into them in the morning before they headed off to campus. They would invite him along sometimes, but he always refused since he didn’t like to be the third wheel in any sort of relationship. Thankfully, they weren’t bothered by it. There were instances when they seemed relieved of his lack of company. Still, Tadashi didn’t have any problems living with them at first. He was even hopeful they could learn to get along better in the future.

Naturally, things didn’t work out the way he had planned. Since his roommates, Minami Itsuo and Aihara Kiyoshi, had been friends since high school, he often found them quite attached to one another. They would purposefully exclude from things, preventing him from making any real decisions on his own. They would bring their buddies on occasions and party all evening when he was trying to study. It was seriously annoying. He had to lock himself in the room to concentrate, but even then he couldn’t drown out the loud voices or music. In the end, most of the time, he would just leave somewhere else.

That wasn’t all of it, of course. They had agreed when he first moved in that they would each do their share of chores. However, for some reason, he was always the one cleaning up after them. They never listened to him at all either. He tried to get Minami to do the dishes once, but he shrugged him off, saying that he had something more important to do. Later that day, he discovered he had gone over to his brother’s place to watch a soccer game of some sort. Aihara tried to be helpful or at least pretended to be anyways. He took his part of the laundry one day, but he probably didn’t even know how to work a laundry machine. His clothes came back an utter disaster. He apologized, so Tadashi found it difficult to stay angry.  

He would buy food for himself, but it would be gone halfway through the week. It wasn’t anything to be bother by. He wouldn’t have minded at all if they would have at least told him about it. They would raid the fridge without any consideration for his stuff whatsoever. He would catch Minami heating up his leftovers in the microwave. Tadashi would raise an eyebrow and ask him what he was doing. However, the guy would only roll his eyes in response, saying, “I found it, so that means I can eat it.” He almost went insane every time. Aihara even had the nerve to offer him some when it didn’t even belong to him in the first place.

Tadashi wasn’t sure what had possessed him to move in with them when he was asked. They shared a few courses together, but he got to know Aihara first. He was friendlier and more outspoken than Minami. He approached him with a smile on his face before he introduced himself during lecture the first day. Strangely, Tadashi managed to carry on the conversation without making it awkward. Then, the topic arose. He asked him if he had somewhere to stay or if he was commuting. He said they had been looking for a third person to split and decrease the cost of rent. He agreed since he was in a hurry to find a place to stay in himself.

It was never anything to what he had imagined before. It wasn't the life like he had pictured himself to be with Kei. Back then, he thought of the countless nights they would stay up to play video games or to marathon one of Kei’s favorite dinosaur programs. He thought of the many things they could've have done over the weekends when they had nothing important to do. He thought of them supporting and pushing each other through exam week. He imagined Kei waking him up every morning since he had a habit of sleeping in. He would picture himself making them dinner or baking a strawberry shortcake to lighten his best friend’s day. They would've spent all the holidays together, doing traditional things like exchanging presents or maybe kissing under the mistletoe.

Still, it wasn’t meant to be because of his own bad luck. Even so, he never complained and tried to live peacefully with his new roommates. He put up with them. He kept his anger and frustration in check. However, everyone has their limits. He reached his when they grabbed his laptop and started looking through his things.

It was his fault, of course. He should have known better than to leave his laptop on the table while he went to the kitchen. He took his time making his instant noodles. Tadashi knew his roommates were around, but he thought they had at least some sense of dignity. Clearly, he had given them too much credit of being decent human beings. He returned to find Minami sitting in a chair with his laptop, looking through his files and searching for who knows what. Aihara stood behind him. He was trying to stop his friend, but his efforts weren’t strong enough at all. He was probably curious too. Tadashi placed his cup of instant noodles on the table loud enough to grab their attention. He was furious, but Minami’s attitude made him snap.

“Hey, Yamaguchi,” he began with a smug look on his face. “Who’s the blond?”

Immediately, Tadashi rushed toward him and snatched his laptop from his hands. He had been going through his photos, looking at the precious memories he had captured with his best friend. Still, he thought he could overlook his actions once again. He figured he would feel better once he calmed down for a bit. However, Minami continued which made him feel much worse. “What do you even see the guy? He looks like a real pain in the ass. I thought you might have some porn or whatever, not that boring shit.”

“First of all, you shouldn’t be looking through my stuff! You should really know how to mind your business!” Tadashi had had enough, though. He had been living with them for only a couple of weeks and they had managed to drive him to the brink of madness. He could never get anything done. He couldn’t leave anything unattended without having them meddling.

“You’re always taking my food and messing around with my things. I can’t even turn around without you guys causing some sort of trouble. I’m always the one doing the chores. Neither of you ever listen to my concerns. You’re always bringing in people here without even giving me the slightest warning. The last time your buddy came over, he got drunk and puked over my futon. Do you even understand how gross that was?”

For the first time, they actually seemed to be listening. Aihara pouted with guilt and he seemed to actually be thinking about his behavior. However, Minami seemed completely unfazed by his words. Tadashi took a deep breath. He pushed his hair back as he thought about what he was going to do next. “I’m sorry, but I think I’ve had enough of all this. I don’t think I’ll be able to make it much longer here. I appreciate you guys taking me in for a bit, but I think it’s best if I looked somewhere else to live.”

Minami smirked at this before he crossed his hands with triumphant. That had probably been his goal since the beginning. Tadashi sighed and decided it was best to step out for a bit. He went to get his shoes when he heard Minami’s voice. “It’s about time you get a hint and leave.”

Aihara smacked him in return.

…

He told them he was leaving, but Tadashi really had nowhere else to go. He didn’t want to make the same mistake as before and join complete strangers. Even though they were nice people, they had their own thing going on. He felt like he had disrupted something. In fact, now that he thought about it, he was almost sure that the third roommate thing had been something Aihara wanted and not necessarily Minami. Either way, thinking about it gave him a headache.

Tadashi opened his textbook and grabbed his journal to review the notes he had taken during lecture However, concentrating was difficult since he didn’t know what he was going to do about his occurring problem. Pretty soon, he began to doze off. He leaned his head against his hand and his eyes slowly began to close as he tried to read the words of the page. He thought about taking a nap, but the silence didn’t last long enough.

“Yama-chan, what a coincidence bumping into you here.” Oikawa’s voice startled him and he immediately sat up at the sound of it. He watched his setter as he sat down across from him with a smile stretched wide across his face. It wasn’t a coincidence at all and Oikawa knew that well. He always knew where to find him, whether he wanted him to or not. “What are you doing? Studying again? Seriously, that’s all you ever do.”

Tadashi grabbed his cup of coffee and took a drink as he thought about something to say. He couldn’t exactly disagree, but he didn’t want to admit it either. There was nothing wrong with studying. It was his first year in college after all and he wasn’t eager to let his grades drop so early. Aside from that, most of his education was being paid for, so it was the least he could do to prove he really did deserve it. He shrugged at the setter’s words even though he couldn’t keep his eyes off him. Oikawa was truly attractive, but he was twice than usual when he wore his glasses. He couldn’t even recognize him sometimes.

“It’s not that I like studying, but I mean, there’s nothing better to be doing right now.” With a sigh, he turned the pages of his book. He wasn’t really interested in reading at all, but he needed a distraction. He could feel Oikawa’s gaze piercing right through him. “Anyways, I’m having some problems with my roommates and I’m not sure what I should do about it. They’re nice people, I guess, but I’m starting to think that maybe one of them never wanted me there to begin with. It’s really frustrating.”

“Hmm, is that so?” Oikawa dropped his books on the table too and adjusted himself in the chair. He hoped he wasn’t planning on staying there with him. He didn’t think he could really handle it at the moment. “So, do you want to move out or what?”

“That’s the thing. I’m not really sure if that was the right thing to say. I told them I was and naturally, neither of them tried to convince me otherwise, so it’s kind of set now.” Tadashi sighed, covering his face with his hands to prevent his vice-captain from seeing his utter stress. In the beginning, he had stayed with a relative that lived nearby until he found a permanent home closer to campus. He definitely didn’t want to bother them again now. “I’m seriously considering getting an apartment of my own. I was already thinking about getting a part time job anyways.”

A smile appeared on Oikawa’s face again and he couldn’t help but shudder. “As your vice-captain, I won’t allow that. That’s too expensive and honestly, I don’t think you’ll be able to afford it even with a part time job. You should just forget about that and come move in with me.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Tadashi hoped he had heard wrong, but at the same time, his heart skipped a faint beat. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“Listen, things couldn’t have worked out more perfectly, Yama-chan!” There was excitement in his voice. However, he probably didn’t realize the enormous pressure that he was suddenly starting to feel in his chest. He was in a pretty tight situation. Oikawa’s offer had come in the most perfect timing, but even then, he didn’t want to accept. Tadashi had a pretty good idea about what would come. He couldn’t imagine what living with Oikawa would be like, for better or for worse. “My roommate is graduating soon and he decided to move out earlier than he expected. I was gonna try to find someone else until then, but you’re just perfect! It’ll be great, Yama-chan.”

Tadashi leaned back as his vice-captain leaned toward him. He didn’t think he had much say in the matter. It was the only choice he currently had and he was seriously intrigued by it. Biting his lower lip, he rolled his eyes with a silent groan. He figured it was a thousand times better staying with Oikawa than with his previous roommates where he was clearly not wanted. “I don’t know, Oikawa-san. It’s not something you can decide so suddenly. I’ll have to think it over.”

“It’s a really nice place, though. I’m sure you’ll love it.” Oikawa was trying to persuade him to accept his request, but what he didn’t know was that he had already managed to convince him. After all, moving out wouldn’t be hard and adjusting to a new home would be pretty easy too. That wasn't the problem. The thought of handling Oikawa everyday, around the clock, made him question the decision. “The place is really close to campus, you know. At a walking distance almost. It’s really convenient, especially when you're constantly sleeping in. Trust me, Yama-chan, you’re not going to get a better offer than this. So, what do you say?”

“Whether I want to or not, I don't think you’re going to let me refuse.” Tadashi admitted, but there was a faint smile on his face already. He was going to regret it. He was sure of it, but he would just have to deal with the coming problems head on when they did arise. “Fine. If you’re okay with, then I guess it’s fine.”

 ...

Kei wasn’t happy about the arrangement at all which was a bit worrying. He thought he would be relieved, but it turned out to be the opposite. Still, he figured it was understandable since he didn’t really have a favorable opinion of Oikawa. He, on the other hand, had gotten to know him well enough to realize that he wasn’t as bad as he had pictured him out to be. His personality did need some work sometimes, but he was extremely nice overall. Especially towards him. Regardless, Kei didn’t press the issue further and told him he would visit him as soon as possible.

He mentioned Kei’s disapproval to his vice-captain which caused him great laugher. Unfortunately, that didn’t help him feel any better. “What? Does he think that I’m trying to take his position as the best friend? Next time you talk to him, tell him he’s right.”

It wasn’t long until he actually moved in with his vice-captain and he was kind enough to help him settle in. He didn’t have many things. He was able to stuff a majority of stuff into a couple of boxes which mostly included his clothes and some books. Of course, the apartment was much nicer and cleaner than the one he had previously lived in. However, the most exciting thing of it all was the fact that he was actually going to sleep in a bed. He wouldn’t have to sleep in a futon or hand down couch every night. Oikawa’s roommate had left it behind for him and he was sorry he didn’t get the chance to meet him to say thank you.

Even so, he had to take a couple of points off since the entire placed reeked of Oikawa’s cologne and there was only one room. 

  
And that was just the beginning.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, thank you so much for reading and I apologize for my mistakes!
> 
> Chapter 6: They stayed up late to watch movies, something Oikawa referred to as bonding, but he somehow ends up on top of Yamaguchi, pinching his cheeks and forcing him to start calling him by his first name. It was truly a nightmare.


	6. Chapter 6

They stayed up late to watch movies, something Oikawa referred to as bonding, but he somehow ends up on top of him, pinching his cheeks and forcing him to start calling him by his first name. It was truly a nightmare.

Actually, that wasn’t right at all. He knew exactly how he had gotten himself into that situation and it all started with an unexpected phone call from his best friend. Oikawa had downloaded a bunch of movies for them to watch. They were sitting in the couch with a giant bowl of popcorn centered in the middle. There were all sorts of snacks and chips everywhere. Tadashi had only been there for a week or so, but he was already quite used to his new home setting. 

He couldn’t say that he disliked living there with him. Oikawa was different from his previous roommates, thankfully. He was orderly, clean, and extremely self conscious. He probably lasted an hour in the bathroom, getting himself ready for school or for whatever he had planned that day. Tadashi had to wait longer than necessary for him and he couldn’t help but lose his patience every time. Even so, he would stare at him in awe occasionally. He was so incredibly attractive that it was almost unbelievable that such a perfect human being existed.

His vice-captain had an exercise routine as well, a schedule Oikawa had bothered to go over with him in great detail. He would wake up everyday at around 6 am and go for a thirty minute jog around the neighborhood. Throughout the week, he would split his time doing weights and basic aerobic exercises. He couldn't push himself too much because of his knee and that's why he had to follow a strict regimen as well.

He told him he would invite him along if he wanted, but Tadashi respectfully refused. He was already busy enough and aside from that, Oikawa’s daily routine seemed like it required lots of dedication. Then again, that would explain why he appeared to be much more fit and toned compared to his high school days.

Oikawa was in his third year of college, so graduation wasn’t that far away for him. His courses, as he had explained to him, were much harder that required a lot of effort. However, Tadashi was quick to catch on how smart his vice-captain really was. He didn’t need to study as much as he did to get good grades. He had natural talent for everything that came his way.

There was a time when Tadashi was struggling with an essay he had been assigned to write. He sat down the table for hours and had barely managed to write a couple of sentences. It was maddening and looking through his textbooks didn’t help in the slightest. Tadashi came close to giving up, deciding to leave the assignment for tomorrow.

By then, Oikawa had come over from the kitchen with a cup of tea. He placed it beside him with a smile and Tadashi felt his face flush red. Even so, his vice-captain didn’t leave him alone. Instead, he sat down next to him and started looking through his papers without even asking him. Tadashi panicked, but didn’t try to stop him either. After a while, he got an idea of what he was doing and started giving him ideas of what he could write about. Of course, he was left completely baffled, but took his advice with great gratitude. Later, when he was finished, Oikawa asked if he could read the final draft. Tadashi let him see it without questioning. Naturally, it only made his setter’s ego grow. He took pride in his work and told him to have more confidence.

“What kind of things do you like to do for fun, Yama-chan?” He asked him one day after practice. Since they lived together, they quickly got into the habit of walking home everyday. It was odd at first, but Tadashi found those moments to be relaxing.

Then again, he could always be himself around Oikawa. He didn’t have to pretend to be someone else. While his presence was hard to deal with and ignore, it had gotten to the point where he could almost consider him a good friend. Tadashi looked at his vice-captain curiously as they both walked side by side underneath the stars. He thought about his question, placing his hand over his chin. Oikawa turned to him excitedly and he could only wonder what his setter had in mind this time.

“Well, there’s lots of things I enjoy like playing games, watching movies, visiting the pet shop, reading, I guess? I don’t even know. I haven’t done much of anything lately. I used to love hanging out with my friends from high school. They were always really fun to be around.”

“Yeah, I would figure. Karasuno was lively group, huh?” Oikawa commented and he quietly nodded. He really did miss them especially Kei. He hadn’t talked to him in a while and he really needed to. He kept reminding himself to call him, but for some reason or another, it would slip from his mind. Tadashi sighed and his vice-captain immediately felt his sadness. He jumped in front of him, startling him and causing him to step back in fright.

“Hey, I have an idea. We should have like a movie night just you and me.” Tadashi lifted an eyebrow at the suggestion. He was truly childish, but he brought a smile to his face anyways. Oikawa placed an arm around his neck, pulling him close and causing him to blush several shades of red. “Call it bonding. We’ll buy all sorts of stuff to eat and we’ll hit an all nighter watching movies.”

“What? An all nighter? Are you crazy?” He quickly protested at the sound of it. Tadashi could even imagine how tired he would be the next day.

“How about on Saturday? I think that sounds good and you better not say that you have homework or something to study for.” Oikawa warned him, but he still didn’t bother to remove his arm from around his neck. It made him incredibly nervous. He was so close that he could almost hear him breathing. “We’ll get a whole bunch of movies and then, we can watch this cool series I found the other day online about aliens. It’s really interesting. Almost makes you think that the whole thing is real.”

Tadashi groaned and placed his hand over his face. He had lived with Oikawa for a couple days, but he was quite aware of his weird obsessions. Once he started talking about space and aliens, there was practically nothing that could stop him. So, he talked about his favorite theories and findings the rest of the way home. He didn’t really mind it, of course. Kei tended to be the same way when it came to dinosaurs. He would never admit it, but he had strong interest for them. In fact, he was sure Kei knew every class and specie there was.

He subconsciously smiled at the thought. He and Kei would have countless sleepovers as well. They stay up all night to play games and movies in the same manner Oikawa had suggested them to. It was truly nostalgic in a way. Tadashi wasn’t with Kei anymore, but honestly, not much had changed because he had Oikawa as a friend. He was completely different, but he never left him alone. It was true that back in high school, for a certain time, he would follow his best friend everywhere, like a lost puppy almost. However, it was also evident that Kei enjoyed his company. He never pushed him away. He was always there for him.

Of course, he ended up falling in love with him because of that and many other reasons.

Even so, nothing could prepare him for what was to come. The movie Oikawa had picked first was already starting and Tadashi shuddered at the sound of it. Apparently, it was about an alien abduction that was supposedly based on a true story, The Fourth Kind. Of course, he didn’t believe any of it and the woman narrating wasn’t making the story any more convincing. It was incredibly fake, but he decided it was best to keep his opinion to himself.  Oikawa believed it and that was really all that mattered.

Their peaceful night was interrupted, though. His phone started ringing and he quickly reached for it in his pocket. However, Tadashi was surprised to see it was Kei. His heart skipped a beat at the realization. He had never called him before after all since he was always the one to do so. He quickly answered it. His excitement must of been obvious because Oikawa turned to look at him sternly.

“Tsukki! It's you!”

 _“Hey, it’s been awhile, hasn’t it? I’ve been waiting for you to call me, but you never did.”_ There was a pause and Tadashi took this chance to step into the kitchen where he hoped Oikawa wouldn’t hear there conversation. He hadn't talked to Kei yet, but he would always catch his vice-captain trying to read his messages. _“I figured you were busy moving into your new place or whatever. How is that by the way? Are you settled in? With him?”_

“Well, yeah. I guess you could say that.” He turned around and made sure Oikawa wasn’t behind him. Still, he decided it was best to talk quietly. There was always a chance that his vice-captain was around, trying to eavesdrop. “It isn’t as bad as I thought. I actually like living here with him. He’s a bit difficult to get along with at first, but he’s been nice to me. Also, it’s pretty cool having him in the team and all. He brings out the best in everyone.”

 _“Tch, I still can’t believe that we’re referring to the same person. You didn’t like him before either.”_ Kei sounded annoyed by their brief conversation. It seemed Oikawa was a sensitive topic and Tadashi took note to not mention him again. He gulped nervously. He unintentionally started pacing around. The movie was still playing in the living room, but he couldn’t hear Oikawa at all. He had gone silent.

_"You’ve gotten pretty close to him, huh?”_

“Tsukki, it's really not like that. I told you that everything is fine. There’s nothing to be worried about. You’re the one…” He couldn’t tell him. Tadashi still couldn’t tell him how much he loved him. Many months had passed since his last attempt, but even now, a confession seemed out of place. He was sure he would tell him one day. However, because of many failed opportunities, he wanted that moment to be truly special. He sighed and leaned against the kitchen counter where they had a stack of dishes waiting for them to wash.

“Anyways, what are you doing now? How is school going?” Tadashi decided to change topics before he unintentionally made Tsukishima angerier.

 _“It hasn’t been bad, but things aren’t really the same without you around.”_ There was embarrassment in his voice. He could easily imagine the blush that was possibly forming on his face. Kei wasn’t good expressing his feelings, but he wondered if the distance was making him change a bit. Still, Tadashi’s heart began to beat rapidly at his words as he placed his hands over his chest.

_“I know it’s not your fault, but it would have better if you would have come along too, you know. I...I miss you a lot. I’ve mentioned this before already too. I’m going to visit you as soon as I can, the first chance I get, so send me your new address whenever you can.”_

“Yeah, I will. I’ll send it to you through a message or something.” Tadashi assured him and he could hear Kei relaxing a little. However, Oikawa had already come over. He was looking at him impatiently with his hands crossed and pout on his face. He was tapping his foot. It was only then that he realized that the movie they had been watching earlier could no longer be heard. He should have taken that as warning to hang up, but he ignored him. Instead, he stuck his tongue out to his childish vice-captain and turned around to face the wall instead.

“I’m glad you’re doing well, Tsukki. It was nice hearing you. I’ve been meaning to call, but I’ve been quite busy with school and practice. I tend to get home pretty late and I’m not sure whether you’re asleep or not by then.”

Tadashi took a deep breath, grasping onto his phone a bit tighter. He could still feel him there, though. Oikawa was staring at him and it was quickly starting to make him uncomfortable. Regardless, he wasn’t going to give in to his his whining attention. He always acted that way even when he wasn’t talking to Kei. He was overprotective of him from a sense that Tadashi couldn’t quite understand. The rest of his teammates weren’t dense about it either. They constantly started to tease him about it, saying that he was Oikawa’s favorite. There were some that went far enough to say that the vice-captain actually liked him.

He quickly glanced at him to find him in the same position. It was amusing to him that he was that way, especially when he had considered him so great and mighty before. He couldn’t believe he had actually intimidated him once. It was true. Oikawa was pretty scary when he was on the court, but aside from there, he was possibly the biggest man child he had ever seen. It was nice being around him and he was waiting for him. He probably wanted him to go back already, so they could watch his favorite movie together. With such a pouty face, how could he not comply?

“I’m the same by the way.” Tadashi suddenly started again, snapping his himself from his thoughts. “I really miss you a lot. There are times when I wish I could be there with you, too, but-”

 _It’s not bad being here either,_ is what he would have said if he hadn’t been interrupted by Oikawa’s loud and purposeful voice.

“Tadashi, c’mon! I’m waiting for you!” He turned around with wide eyes, but a part of him couldn’t believe what his setter had just called him. Immediately, he placed his index finger over his mouth and motioned him to be quiet. Of course, he didn’t listen and continued with a smirk on his face. He kept making a louder emphasis on his name, loud enough so Kei could hear over the phone. Already, the blond on the other side of the line had gone dead silent. “Oh, who are you talking to, Tadashi? Is it that friend of yours from Karasuno?”

_“Sorry, I didn’t realize that you were damn busy.”_

That’s all he heard from Kei for the rest of the night. He hung up right after even though he called him back a few more times. Tadashi didn’t understand why he had reacted that way, but he knew it was Oikawa’s fault. He had just gotten the closest thing to confession and he had ruined it completely. He turned to face his vice-captain, who was gloating proudly with a vivid smile on his face. Clearly, he didn’t notice how angry he was.

“What are you thinking? Couldn’t you just stay put in the living room for three minutes?!” He raised his voice, but Oikawa was completely ignoring him. He stepped away from the kitchen and grabbed the bowl of chips that was resting over the table. He stuffed his face before he sat in front of the television again. He pressed play and continued to watch the movie as if nothing had happened. Tadashi could only roll his eyes in frustration.

“You knew perfectly well who I was talking to. Seriously, how selfish are you? I hadn’t talked to him all week. He finally decides to call and you had to ruin it all.”

However, hearing Oikawa’s voice isn’t what pissed Kei off. He was perfectly aware that they lived together, so hearing him in the background wasn’t the problem. Oikawa had called him by his first name and that was something that Kei hadn't gotten himself to do yet. Sure, he and Oikawa had become close, a lot closer, but they weren’t at that level yet. He had to make sure to clear that misunderstanding with Kei.

“Besides, you’ve never called me by my first name before?! So, why did you do that now?” Tadashi asked and that was enough to grab Oikawa’s attention again. He squinted his eyes at him, but before he knows it, Oikawa stands up right in front of him. His vice-captain leans in, placing his hand over his hips thoughtfully. “Just Yamaguchi is fine, you know.”

“That’s what needs to change and should change. Let’s start. From now on, you have to start calling me Tooru.” He demanded with a grin that could probably melt anyone’s heart away. Still, Tadashi kept his mouth shut and didn’t comply to his request. What would the others think if he suddenly started calling his vice-captain by his first name? It would ensure chaos for sure. He couldn’t and he most definitely wouldn’t. “C’mon, Tadashi-chan, say it! I’ll make you if you don’t!”

The movie was still playing, but neither of them was paying attention to it anymore. Instead, he was trying to stop Oikawa from bossing him into saying his name. It was extremely embarrassing for him and while it didn’t mean much for the setter, it was a big deal for Tadashi. “Look, let’s just forget about it. The movie is already halfway through and I’m still not sure what’s going on.”

“Don’t change the subject!”

He wasn’t sure how it happened, but he somehow ended up tripping with his slippers. He fell back and ended up taking Oikawa along with him. His vice-captain landed on top of him, but he didn’t seem to mind it so much. Tadashi, on the other hand, was internally screaming at him to get off. His face was probably the brightest red the world had yet to see. He wanted to disappear. Naturally, Oikawa didn’t waste such an opportunity. He pinched his cheeks and started moving his lips for him, trying to make him say his first name.

“Don’t be so stubborn and just say it already. We’re going to be living here together for who knows how long. It wouldn’t seem weird at all. Just goes to show how strong our bonding is.” Oikawa was sitting over his stomach, but his face had gotten extremely close to his. It was incredibly awkward, a complete nightmare from his position. He couldn’t push him off no matter how hard he tried. Oikawa was probably just as stubborn as he was. He probably wouldn’t give up until he got what he wanted.

“Fine! Fine, but just get off me already!” He demanded seriously. However, that didn’t last long either. His vice-captain stopped pinching his cheeks and went down to tickle him instead. Tadashi went mad with laughter. “I said f-fine! S-stop already! Please, Tooru-san!”

“There it is! Say it again and I’ll stop!”

“Tooru-san!” Oikawa did as he promised. He stopped tickling him, thankfully. He got off him and sat down in front of him on the floor. Tadashi quickly sat up, rubbing the sides of his stomach from laughing. Even so, it didn’t matter and he was just glad Oikawa had gotten off him. They definitely weren’t acting like the adults they were supposed to be. It was beyond embarrassing, but a strange part him was greatly amused anyways.

“That’s one point for me and none for Tsukishima.” He revealed at last after he helped him get up. There was a mischievous smirk across his face and he could only wonder when he had turned the whole thing into a competition. “We’re just that much closer.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if it feels like I'm updating a lot recently. Since I'm in winter break, I'm trying to catch up as much as can. It's going to be a crazy semester next year. I need to update now that I have a chance. Anyways, thank you very much for reading and I apologize for my mistakes! 
> 
> Chapter 7: Oikawa has to take care of his nephew and Yamaguchi is quickly able to point out their similarities. For one, they sure loved to annoy him.


	7. Chapter 7

Oikawa has to take care of his nephew and Yamaguchi is quickly able to point out their similarities. For one, they sure loved to annoy him.

Tadashi never quite expected it, but living with Oikawa was tolerable. He quickly got used to his habits and adjusted accordingly. His vice-captain was enjoyable to hang around with, fun at times even. He had proven more than once that he wasn’t that jerk selfish king that he had figured him to be.

Even so, Oikawa tended to surprise him occasionally with the most unexpected things. He was demanding like a child, but he knew how to embarrass him just as well. He knew what things to say to get him blushing madly or raging furiously. Tadashi sometimes wondered if he said certain things on purpose just to see what sort of reaction he’d make. It was incredibly frustrating. Oikawa was needlessly annoying and his nephew, Takeru, wasn’t much different.

He was at practice with the others, but Oikawa hadn’t shown up yet. Tadashi wasn’t particularly worried, though. He was sure he would appear eventually and naturally, he was right. The problem was that he had brought along company. Tadashi wasn’t entirely sure how old his nephew was, but he looked mature enough to be in middle school or maybe in late elementary. As a result, Tadashi gulped as he picked up a random volleyball from the floor. For some reason, he felt like leaving.

It was only for the day or at least that’s what the setter declared at first. He had to take care of him until his sister came back from work and he owed her a few favors, so he couldn’t really refuse. Oikawa waved at him, but Tadashi quickly turned away and hoped he wouldn’t come in his direction. Apparently, that was too much to ask for. He immediately went toward him with his nephew following close behind. The young boy seemed to be impressed by the atmosphere around him. After all, it wasn’t everyday that he probably got to hang out and interact with college students. He seemed excited to be there. The smile on his face was clearly visible. Even so, the minute his nephew spotted him by the net, his cheerfulness dropped slightly. Tadashi felt his stomach turning in all directions.

“Hey, Yama-chan, this is my nephew, Takeru. He’s going to be around for a bit. Something came up at my sister’s work, so she asked me to watch over him.” Oikawa told him with a content grin forming across his face. In turn, he simply nodded and turned to look at the young boy before he properly introduced himself. Takeru didn’t seem impressed with him at all, though, which suddenly made him feel incredibly nervous. He probably expected his uncle to have much better looking friends. He sighed, but tried to ignore his queasiness.

“This is my flatmate, Yama-chan. He just moved in with me a few weeks ago.” His vice-captain continued with an effort to get them to bond in some sort of way. Tadashi didn’t understand why that was so important to him. It shouldn’t really mean much if he gets along with his family relative or not. “He’s pretty good at serving, but obviously not as good as I am. Still, you should get him to show you some things. I’ve never gotten the habit of using the float serve anyways. It could prove to be useful.”

“So, you play volleyball, too, Takeru-kun?” The question itself was a bit stupid and he could feel the young boy glaring at him because of it. He accidently dropped the ball from his hands, but when he bent down to pick it up, he handed it to Takeru instead. Oikawa’s nephew tilted his head curiously as he blankly stared at him instead. Tadashi gave the captain a quick glance, but he didn’t think he would mind him orientating a kid for a bit.

“Here, let’s go play, then.” He exclaimed which earned him an earnest smile from the boy. Tadashi wasn’t sure what they should practice first, so he suggested the obvious choice; serving.

Surprisingly, he ended up learning a lot about the Takeru. For one, he was currently in a community volleyball team and he was the setter. He boasted about many of his games, both victories and losses. He demonstrated some his best plays, but Tadashi could see Oikawa reflected in him. He was impressed with his skills and he could tell that he was really going to become someone great in the future. His confidence was probably greater than his.

Their interaction was brief, uneventful and nothing out of the ordinary had specifically occurred. The captain assembled the team after a while and gave them a set of exercises. Once they were finished with that, they were going to engage in a practice game amongst each other again. However, it was different from the last one. This time, the first years were up against their seniors. Tadashi became instantly terrified since that would mean that he would be forced to play against his own roommate and vice-captain.

Still, he watched as Takeru was told to stand on the side, by the benches where he was allowed to freely observe them. His curiosity was already in full mode.

Of course, the entire match ended up a bit one-sided and the more experienced players ended up winning by a large significant margin. They were no match against them and were instantly crushed, but the captain advised them not to be discouraged. After all, together, as a team, they would help them work through their weaknesses. Tadashi was tired beyond comparison and he was sweating all over. He reached to grab his towel from one of the benches, but the captain came over to him specifically. He instantly froze stiff.

The captain didn’t say anything bad. In fact, it was the complete opposite. He signaled him out and congratulated him for his effort. It seemed that he was one of the few people out of the group that was able to successfully receive, more than once, Oikawa’s famous serves. He was fascinated by his performance which Tadashi couldn’t believe. Then again, Oikawa regularly practiced with him personally. As a result, he got used his plays which were some of the most difficult he had ever faced. He was starting to wonder if he had purposefully practiced with him as a way to get him a starting position. Regardless, it brought a smile on Tadashi’s face and he respectfully thanked his captain for his much appreciated compliment.

Even so, Tadashi failed to noticed the young boy that was staring at him from afar. When they went back home, he didn’t speak much, but then again, how could they when Oikawa wouldn’t be quiet at all. His topics of discussion would range from ancient astronomy to extraterrestrial beings to dead volleyball players. Tadashi went along with his conversations like always, adding side comments and opinions on most matters. Nevertheless, he was overly aware of Oikawa’s nephew that quietly observed their every moves. It was quite stressful and intense, but the setter didn’t seem to notice or pick up what was going on.

Oikawa’s sister came to pick him up once they arrived. Tadashi, thankfully, didn’t get a chance to meet her. He pretended to be asleep by then.

He figured that would be the last time he would see Takeru and immediately placed their meeting behind as a distant memory. Consequently, he was greatly mistaken. It was Sunday and naturally, the team had taken a day off because rest is importantly needed as well. Tadashi had looked forward to it. He could sleep in, call Kei later, and catch up with some unfinished assignments he had been putting off. Instead, however, he was in a movie theater with Takeru and Oikawa to see some new popular action flick.

Or more specifically, he was standing in line with Takeru and his vice-captain had gone somewhere to sadly pout on his own. They were waiting in line to get some food and while they were deciding what to buy, Oikawa began to feel ignored. He dramatically left them there. He wasn't seen until the start of the movie. It definitely wasn’t the ideal situation.

He wondered to himself, over and over, what he was doing there at all. Then, he remembered the way Takeru had been dropped off again, but with two tickets to a movie. The boy kept one and tried to give him the second one. It was incredibly shocking. Tadashi nicely refused, but the Takeru was as stubborn and persistent as his uncle. His excuses weren’t good enough to get him off the hook. Eventually, he ended up giving up.

His vice-captain immediately protested, asking why his nephew hadn’t brought him a ticket too. The question wasn’t directly answered, but there were enough hints given by Takeru that Oikawa wasn’t wanted. They began to argue and at some point, his vice-captain grabbed his arm. He pulled him over with such a force that he almost tumbled on top him. Surprisingly, Takeru was greatly amused and he almost laughed. “No, way I’m letting you take Tadashi-chan on a date!”

It became clear from that moment on that they were both just messing with him for the fun of it. When they stepped into the theater, he was placed in the middle with Oikawa and Takeru sitting by his sides. Honestly, he had never felt more uncomfortable in his entire life. He wanted to leave immediately, but obviously, that wasn’t an option. Still, despite the darkness, he could easily tell that Takeru wasn’t excited about the film at all. Instead, he seemed more interested in Oikawa for reasons he didn’t understand. He would discreetly look past him to stare at his uncle intently with an intense gaze.

Of course, his vice-captain wasn’t helping his case either. He was being more clingy than usual and he had to kindly shove him off whenever he could. However, he completely lost it when Oikawa dared to lean his head on his shoulder. He almost screamed in the most emotional part of the movie.

Later on, they went somewhere nearby to eat, but the situation had yet to get truly awkward. He sat in front of Takeru, so he began to ask him personal questions out of nowhere. He was so straightforward that it scared him and almost caused him to choke on a fry. “Yamaguchi-san, do you, by any chance, have a girlfriend?”

He coughed a few times, trying to clear his throat and stall while he came up with an answer. He would never understand why everyone seemed to be interest in his love life. Was it that obvious? Was it really easy to tell that he has been after the same person for years? Tadashi certainly hoped that wasn’t the issue. His lack of response caused Takeru to assume things.

“So, you do have a girlfriend, then?” He pestered on and Tadashi was starting to find him extremely annoying. He was similar to Oikawa from that perspective. The real problem, however, was that he simply couldn’t figure out what Takeru was thinking. What was his purpose really? He could only shake his head in response since he wasn’t in the best condition to answer. “Is there someone you’re interested in, then?”

Oikawa wasn’t saying much, but he was quietly listening. He was sitting right next to him, so he could carefully see him from the corner of his eye. Tadashi quickly corrected him. “No, I’m not currently seeing anyone and I think it’s better that way. So, please, Takeru-kun, don’t insist.”

He indifferently shrugged his shoulders and plopped a fry inside his mouth before he took a bite out of his burger. Tadashi could only sigh as he looked down at his own food. He wasn’t hungry at all. He had eaten too much junk food at the theater,but since they had tricked him into paying, he figured he might as well get something too. Tadashi was about to reach out to grab his drink, when Oikawa dumped his fries onto his tray. He turned to look at him, completely stunned by his sudden actions.

His gorgeous setter smiled at him as he leaned his chin against the palm of his hand. “What? Did you really think I wouldn’t notice? French fries are your favorites, right?”

Takeru eyed him curiously and Oikawa began to laugh nonstop at his blushing face. He was an idiot. He didn’t know how something as small and insignificant as that could get his heart racing like crazy. He must of mentioned it at some point. He must of told him subconsciously that he liked fries, soggy or not, best. If not, then Oikawa was a really observant person.

 

…

 

They were still in the gym even though it was getting pretty dark outside. Practice had ended already, but Oikawa had generously offered to give him one of his special lessons again. Apparently, he was letting him spike this time which was something he wasn’t specifically good at. Even so, after a few tries, the ball began to feel more and more natural each time. He was amazed by how well he was able to hit it with great ease.

Tadashi wiped the sweat off his forehead and rested his hands against his hips. He took deep breaths, ready to call it a day. His vice-captain seemed to share the same thought since he was careful to not overwork himself. Oikawa had mentioned it before, but his knee wasn’t in the best healthy state. He even wore supporters and went to therapy for it years ago. Everything was okay now, but there was nothing wrong with being careful.

Honestly, it seemed like any other normal day, but there was something different compared to before. Again, for the fourth time that week, Takeru was there with them. He was sitting in the bench, watching them carefully. For the most part, Tadashi didn’t mind having him there at all. He was a pretty obedient kid, so he hardly gave any serious trouble. Still, it was bothersome feeling him constantly watching as he roamed around the court. He could feel him staring even as he turned around. Besides annoying, it awfully nerve wrecking.

After they cooled down a bit, Oikawa headed toward the locker room, but he stayed behind to clean up. Tadashi started putting away the equipment when Takeru came over with a volleyball in his hands. He looked at him with pleading, almost desperate eyes. Tadashi, as a reflex, took a stepped back. “Yamaguchi-san, please teach me how to do the jump float serve?”

“I would love to, but it’s not really something you can learn overnight.” Tadashi suggested, but the truth was he was too tired to really engage in anything else. He wanted to go home, do some homework and then sleep in. He didn’t take early morning classes for a reason after all. “You know, we can meet up some other day and work on it then. That is, if you’re okay with it? Honestly, it’s pretty difficult to handle at first especially when you’re trying to aim accurately while giving it the appropriate spin. Without the right concentration, it turns into a regular old serve. ”

“Yeah, but I feel like I just need to see it a few more times before I can get it.” Takeru spun the ball in his hands the same way he had seen Oikawa do so before. “It shouldn’t be that hard? Tooru has taught me much more complicated techniques too.”

There was no respect in his blunt words, making Tadashi’s eyebrows twitch with anger. He didn’t doubt it. He was Oikawa’s nephew and he could probably master the float serve in a few weeks if he tried. It took him months of consistent practice to get it right and more than year to perfect it. The thought of Takeru achieving the serve frustrated him. He probably didn’t have to work so hard to acquire any new technique for that matter. Again, annoying.

Still, Tadashi wasn’t mean enough to say no.  He opened his mouth to apologize and take his request, but the young boy beat him. “I’ve noticed this for a while, but it seems to me that Tooru really cares about you. It’s weird seeing him be so nice to someone. I wanted to get to know you because of that I guess. I was curious. You’re nothing like Iwaizumi-san and yet, he’s kind to you anyways. Do you know why that is?”

He didn’t respond right away since he had been caught completely off guard once again. Tadashi gripped the ball in his hands tightly, staring at the floor.

“Well, I’m not sure if that’s what it is, but I do consider Oikawa to be my friend. He’s nice to me. It’s true and even though I can’t explain it well, I’m really happy being around him. You see, the thing is, I wasn’t able to go to the same university as my childhood friend. It was quite depressing and I cried a lot because of it, I guess. Anyways, I came here and I met Oikawa-san. Things are just much better than I expected because of him. He’s taught me a lot. He constantly watches over me. I’ll admit he can be annoying at times, but overall, he’s a great person.”

“There you go, then. I did what you told me, Tooru.” The young boy crossed his hands with a sigh, but there was a faint smile on his face anyways. Tadashi turned around and sure enough, Oikawa was there hiding behind the door leading to locker hallway.

Takeru’s attention was directed toward him again, but Tadashi wasn’t sure what he was suppose to do. He hadn’t said anything regretful or bad, but undeniably embarrassing. He was sure he would never live it down. “He wanted to know what you thought of him, so he told me to ask you as a favor. Tooru didn’t think you would actually answer, though.”

Tadashi placed the palm of his hand over his face, but he couldn’t look at Oikawa. He didn’t need to anyways. His vice-captain rushed toward him instead, wrapping his arm around his shoulder and pulling him a bit too close. It only made him sweat more. “Aww, Tadashi-chan, I consider you a friend too and if that’s really how you feel, then I’ll take care of you forever.”

Seriously, he should have known better than to trust his nephew. They were both just the same; incredibly annoying, cunning but sweet.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started school today and I can only wonder how stressful things will be. Still, I will try to update whenever I can. So, again, thank you very much for reading and I apologize for my mistakes!
> 
> Chapter 8: He was given the chance to play in a game, an opportunity that had come because of his practices with Oikawa. He wants to thank him somehow, but he's short on ideas.


	8. Chapter 8

He was given the chance to play in a game, an opportunity that had come because of his practices with Oikawa. He wanted to thank him somehow, but he was short on ideas.

The words kept circling his mind. He could still remember the sudden rush of excitement that emerged when the captain had pulled him over for a talk. He could remember his own happiness overwhelming him as he heard the news. Tadashi had trouble believing it. He had gone to a practice match not long ago as a pinch server, but the situation never arose. He had been to several practice matches and was always met with the same conclusion. Now, he was being to told that he was going to participate in the college volleyball tournament as a regular player.

He stood completely speechless for the longest time. He wanted to pinch himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. Naturally, he wasn’t and his captain's loud, prideful laugh assured him of it. He patted his back with some force before he left, telling him that he looked forward to seeing him play in an actual game. He would get more chances if he showed results and in return, he promised he would do his very best to secure the position.

Tadashi thought about calling his best friend. He wanted to let him know that his hard work and his steady progress had finally paid off. He was going to play in a match as a regular, as a middle blocker. However, he wasn’t the first person he thought of in that moment. The minute the captain left him alone in his bubble of joy, Tadashi searched all over for his setter almost instantly.

He was still practicing, minding his own business for once in the bigger gymnasium. Oikawa was about to hit a serve when he came in, calling his name and accidentally startling him. The ball fell to the floor, but he didn’t seem to mind that he had been interrupted. Instead, he greeted him with a smile as he waved at him. He asked him if he was ready to head home, so he could gather his things too. Tadashi, ignoring him, didn’t answer and went under the net to reach his vice-captain.

After all, he wouldn’t have gotten an opportunity to play at all if it wasn’t for him.

“Oikawa-san, the captain just told me that I'm going to play in the next game for sure!” He wanted to calm down. He didn’t want to be so obvious, but he was too excited. He couldn’t react in any other way. “He told me that the coach was fine with it since I’ve really improved. Well, he said that I’ve always shown potential and that I had incredible skill of my own, but you know, he said I had to earn my position as well. He said that the coach has been impressed with my progress and I deserved this chance to demonstrate it. I still can’t...believe I’m playing in an actual...game?”

For some reason, Oikawa didn’t seem as surprised as he would have liked him to be. He stared at him curiously, but he only continued to nod. Tadashi wasn’t entirely sure, but he could almost see a small blush forming on the setter’s face. He was happy for him, at least that much he was sure of.

“I told you, didn’t I? This was to be expected. You’ve worked hard. You’ve definitely earned it and I can’t wait to play on the court with you. It’s definitely going to be interesting.”

“Yeah, I know. It’s really all thanks you, I suppose.” He was suddenly embarrassed, taking a few steps back and avoiding his intense gaze. He hadn’t even realized how close he had gotten to him. He nervously fidgeted around, scratching the side of his cheek and hoping Oikawa hadn’t noticed. “I mean, you started to practice with me even though I didn’t like it and I learned a lot from you too. I don’t know how to thank you.”

“There’s nothing to be thankful for. I helped you because I wanted to especially since we didn’t exactly start off on the right foot. I was kind of rude to you actually and I feel kind of bad about it." He briefly paused as if he were trying to shake away that awful feeling. "Anyways, it’s late already, isn’t it? We should head home.”

His setter quietly laughed and ruffled his hair playfully. Then, he picked up the ball he had dropped earlier and spun it in his hands a few times.

“Besides, I already knew. I was the one that suggested it to the captain and the coach.”

His sweet smile turned into a sly one and Tadashi really tried to ignore his racing heart. “They weren’t surprised by my suggestion either. They’ve seen your development and they're just as impressed as I am.”

“It’s exciting, but I’m kind of nervous now.” Tadashi admitted, helping his vice-captain put away some of the equipment. “I hope I don’t up disappointing them...and you.”

They were already the last ones there since Oikawa was usually the one in charge of closing up. It was really quiet for the most part, except for the drills that some of the basketball members were still holding outside. He sighed as he suddenly felt a heavy pressure in his chest. He had no idea that the captain and the coach had been keeping an eye on him. He wondered if it came from all the attention Oikawa had given him since the beginning. They were probably curious why the setter was so intrigued with him.

Honestly, he didn’t quite understand, but he didn’t dislike or really mind the extra attention from his vice-captain, not anymore.

“It’s going to be fine, Tadashi-chan. Don’t worry so much about it and give yourself some credit. You’re a great player and remember you’re not alone. The whole team is going to be there. You can trust them.” Oikawa placed his hand over his shoulder, smiling at him once again. “I’m going to be right there with you too. We’re going to win together.”

It was in that precise moment that Tadashi was convinced to thank him in a special manner. However, he was terrible at coming up with something clever. He remember stressing over presents during Christmas and running through shops to find Kei something unique. His efforts were always done in vain and in the end, he always turned up with a scarf or gloves or another dinosaur figurine. His friend didn't mind, but he hated his lack of creativity.

Tadashi pondered about it all night, thinking what on Earth he could possibly get his vice-captain. He thought about buying him something or more specifically he considered getting him a telescope he had seen online. He knew he would like it. He had mentioned it once before that he wanted one, so he figured it would be the perfect surprise. He could even set it up in the room beforehand and casually say thanks. 

It wasn't a terrible plan, but sadly, they were expensive and he didn’t have the money to afford one. He could barely handle his own necessities with the financial support he was getting from his parents. Tadashi was upset about it and he continued to look through different websites, wishing to find a good deal. Even so, the prices were all about the same. Then, he didn’t want to risk it with a cheap one that could turn out unreliable.

He had a bunch of tabs open, so when Oikawa suddenly came from behind, he instantly shut his laptop. He nervously grabbed his books and started putting them inside his bag frantically. He was sitting in one of the outside tables by the student union cafe, studying and catching up on some homework. He was usually in the library, but Oikawa always knew where to find him regardless.

“What are you doing? More studying? Honestly, you need to take a break already. You wouldn’t want to stress or overwork yourself before a game.” Oikawa sat right next to him before he handed him a sandwich. Again, he had brought him lunch. 

“No, I wasn’t really. I was doing something else.” Tadashi nervously smiled and hoped he didn’t give himself away. “I haven’t talked to Tsukki yet, but I was thinking about inviting him over especially now that I’m going to be part of an actual game. I was wondering if it was okay with you. He’s probably really busy, so I don’t think he’ll be able to visit. I just wanted to let you know in case he does show up for it, for the game.”

Oikawa shrugged, but he didn’t seem pleased about the invitation at all. “Well, it’s our place, so you can bring over whoever you like, I guess. It’s not like I can help it.”

Kei kept saying that he was going to come visit him, but always found himself too busy to do so. He didn’t want to plan things ahead, but he really wanted his best friend to presence his first official game. It meant a lot to him especially since he was the one that had motivated him to try the sport in the first place. He was terrible at it as a child, but Kei was really the only one that had witnessed his growth in both confidence and skill. He wanted to show him how different he was. He wanted to show him how much he had improved thanks to Oikawa.

He was better at receiving, at spiking, at everything in general. Then, he still had his serves. They were even more menacing than before and the captain didn’t fail to mention them when he had talked to him the day before. He told him that with him and Oikawa in the rotation, they could really pose a threat to any team they opposed.

With that in mind, he became more determined than ever to find some way to thank his vice-captain, his setter, his roommate, his good friend. He had done so much for him. It was the least he could do. They ate their lunch and practiced a little in between before Oikawa headed to his last class. Tadashi didn’t have anything better to do, so he decided to go home early.

He thought about baking him a cake of some sort, but he was terrible in the kitchen really. The last time he tried making something had almost caused the fire alarms to go off. The apartment was surrounded with a thick cloud of smoke and Oikawa wouldn’t stop laughing at him. He had somehow left the cookies in the oven longer than they were suppose to be. It was a real shame since he had worked so hard to make them.

He had left a mess, but his setter found his attempt at baking amusing. In turn, he helped him clean up since he tried making the dough too. He even went as far to wipe his face. It was completely covered with flour.

Still, Tadashi didn’t want the same thing to happen again. He knew he would never hear the end of it otherwise. He groaned loudly and laid his head over the table, exhausted from the long day he had at school. He had more than a few exams coming up as well as a game in less than three days, but his mind was busy thinking about something to give Oikawa. He thought it would be simple, but at the same time, he wanted it to be special. He wanted it to have meaning.

That’s when it occurred to him.

“Hey, do you need help with something? You’ve been stuck on the same page for almost hours now.” His vice-captain told him, but he wasn’t much different. He had been watching videos about their opponent since he had gotten home. He had done nothing else and the sound of people cheering, chanting had stuck to his mind.

Tadashi stood up and slowly went toward Oikawa. He was so focused that he didn’t even notice he was there. He told him that he used to do the same thing back when he was in high school and it seemed that old habit of his hadn’t disappeared. “They're going to give us a hard time, but I don’t think it’s anything we can’t handle. I bet you that they’ve done analysis like this on us too. However, what they don’t know is that we have a secret weapon.”

“Really? What?”

“You, of course! What else could it possibly be?”

Tadashi tried to laugh it off, shaking his head. He felt nervous. His palms were incredibly sweaty. He gulped silently to himself and tried to stay calm. He took a deep breath, taking a step closer. Oikawa noticed the sudden tension and placed his laptop to the side for the first time in a while. He looked up at him as he lifted an eyebrow curiously.

“I don’t know if that’s the right way to say it, but I’m glad you think of me that way.” He smiled at him and watched as he stood up before him. Again, his face was getting incredibly flustered, but it was impossible to hide it. “Anyways, I wouldn’t even be playing if it wasn’t for you. I’m really grateful and I still don’t know how to thank you.”

He opened his mouth to speak, but Tadashi, without hesitating, stepped forward and embraced him tightly. He caught him completely by surprise. The sound of the game filled the room, cutting some of the awkward silence that had formed. His face was bright red, though. He didn’t have to look at himself to know and he was still wondering what had possessed to do such a thing. Then, he remembered that it was only way to properly show his appreciation and his growing affection.

“Tadashi, what are you doing?” He asked him, but he wasn’t pushing him away either. He sounded surprised, dumbfounded by his sudden action, but he hugged him right back.

He knew he should let go already. It was suppose to be a thank you hug, an embrace that was filled with his gratitude. Still, it felt different from what it should. His heart was racing rapidly, but even then, that was a normal response. Oikawa’s presence tended to make him feel jittery on all sorts of levels. Tadashi wasn’t sure if he could really explain it. He just suddenly felt comfortable in his arms, almost as if he belonged there. Everything felt so perfect.

“Seriously, Oikawa-san, thank you so much for everything you’ve done so far for me.” He began honestly and he wanted to pull himself away before the whole situation became more confusing. He needed to, but he didn’t budge. Sadly, his setter didn’t seem to have any intentions of letting him go. It was stressful. He should have just gone with a cake instead.

“I thought you weren't fond of me at first, but I guess I was wrong like most things I thought of you.” It was hard to admit and word in the right way without bloating his ego. He needed to be careful, but in such position, he couldn’t think clearly. “You’ve helped me out a lot and have made college pretty enjoyable for me so far as well. I was really upset because I couldn’t go to same university as my best friend, but everything sort of worked out in the end. It’s probably because I met you and you became a good friend of mine.”

“It hasn’t been bad having you around either. While you may not believe it, I wasn’t particularly close with anyone. I was pretty much alone most of the time, not that I minded. Having girls chase you all the time is exhausting and tiring especially when you’re trying to give them all the same cheery smile.”

Oikawa slowly released him which was relieving for him, but at the same time disappointing. His feelings were a mess and he knew he wouldn’t be able to sort them out even if he tried. Still, his happiness never left him. “Then, you came along and moved in. Who would have thought? I last saw you years ago and now, here we are in the same team.”

He nodded in agreement since he never would have figured things would turn out that way either. He hadn’t really thought about it really, but he had always admired Oikawa as player. He was amazing and someone he had strived be like. His serves had always stunned him motionless. That was something from the past and while his admiration was starting to resurface again, he knew that their minor differences didn’t matter anymore.

They were going to play on the same side of the court and he was looking forward to it, more than ever before.

“Here, you know what. Let’s take a break and play some video games or something.” He shut down his laptop and got everything set up for them to start. Tadashi giggled at the sudden change of topic, but went along with his vice-captain anyways and sat down on the floor. He wasn’t as good as Oikawa was at volleyball, however he still had yet to beat him in Mario Kart.

“I’m not going to lose this time. Just watch.”

“Yeah, right. That’s exactly what you said last time and the time before that.” Tadashi exclaimed triumphantly which only brought a pout from the childish man. Honestly, they could go on like that forever and he wouldn’t care. It was times like those that he enjoyed the most.

“Whoever loses has to do whatever the winner wants. Agree? Or too scared to take the challenge?”

“Okay, you’re going to have to keep buying me lunch.”

“Fine, then.” Oikawa reached over to mess with his hair, but he left his hand there. He brushed his long hair with his fingers and Tadashi became incredibly stiff. He watched when his gaze softened again as he stared into his eyes. “If I win, then I get to kiss you.”

It took a few seconds before he laughed it off as a joke, smacking him in the back and saying that he had completely fallen for it. He changed his request and said he would have to be his guinea pig during practice for an entire month, but Tadashi had briefly seen it. He wasn’t really playing around when he first spoke. He looked serious, his faint smile had been sincere.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I know it's been so long since an update, but I honestly had no clue where I was going with this. It took a while, but I think I finally have a vague idea of what is going to happen. So, I appreciate the patience and I apologize for my mistakes!
> 
> Chapter 9: Tsukishima finally decides to visit him. He's excited, but Oikawa quite doesn't approve.


	9. Chapter 9

Kei finally decides to visit him. He's excited, but Oikawa didn’t quite approve.

He didn’t understand his behavior. He thought he was fine with his best friend coming over. After all, he had agreed to the invitation in advance. That was the reason why he called Kei the following morning, letting him about his upcoming game. Obviously, he wasn’t going to miss it. He was going to force some time in his busy schedule to take a flight and come over to watch him play.

It was an important day for him. Kei wanted to be there with him, to show his support even in the crowds.

Tadashi was thrilled to hear the news. He almost jumped out of pure joy. Finally. He was going to see Kei again. He was going to get another chance to confess, another opportunity to tell him his true feelings. He didn’t just like him as a friend. It was stronger than simple admiration. He loved him and he wanted to make sure he knew this time for sure. With great anticipation, Tadashi told him that he would be waiting for his arrival.

He thought about his conversation with Kei all morning, dreaming about the way he would greet him after so long. He would hug him without a doubt. He would tell him how much he missed him, how much he needed him. His life wasn’t the same anymore. Things were different without him around. He would hold his hand and keep him close. He would lean in closer with each passing second and stand on his toes for a sweet, delicate kiss. Tadashi sighed at the thought of it, dozing off once again, for the millionth time.

Of course, it didn’t take Oikawa long to notice his particular chipper mood. He walked over to him during practice and Tadashi was more than happy to share the news. He thought his setter would be eager to hear it. He figured he would at least be interested in meeting his best friend.

Apparently, though, he was wrong. Tadashi couldn’t have been more mistaken. With excitement, he told his vice-captain that Kei was coming and immediately he noticed the change. His faint smile fell from his face. His brows furrowed with confusion and disbelief. It was followed by an awful silence. He couldn't even get a decent reaction from him. Instead, he seemed absolutely distraught, definitely horrified. Even so, there was a chance that he was just overreacting.

“Honestly, I couldn’t believe it either, but he said he was coming.” Tadashi bit his lip and didn’t know what else to say to ease the sudden tension that was filling the air. His vice-captain didn’t seem pleased at all. In fact, he looked less than happy, almost angry. It made him nervous and eventually, his excitement disappeared completely.

“I’m sorry? Does it bother you? You said that it was okay the other day? That I could bring him over if I wanted too?” He was trying to reason with him and remind him of their past conversation. He was sure he had agreed with it, but he wondered if he had changed his mind. Then again, from of his stories, Kei didn’t sound like the friendliest of people.

“He’s not that bad once you get to know him...he’s been my best friend since I was a kid. He knows that this game...well, it means a lot to me. He didn’t think twice about it. Tsukki said he was coming the minute I told him. I haven’t seen him in a long while, so I’m really happy about all this. It’s just...if you’re not okay with it?”

“What? I already told you I don’t...care. It’s your place too.” Oikawa tried to smile again, but it wasn’t the same. There was something different and it made Tadashi uncomfortable. With a sigh, his setter placed his hand over his shoulder and pretended to be indifferent. However, there was a slight forceful grip.

“It’s just I was surprised. I didn’t think he would actually come and you’re right. I’m not actually fond of him either.” He shrugged before he wiped his sweat with a nearby towel. Tadashi watched him carefully, noticing his voice getting undeniably serious. He gulped, but followed him to the locker rooms anyways. “You can bring over whoever you like.”

“Oh. That’s good to know. I thought it bothered you or something.”

“It does.” Tadashi stopped walking and waited for his setter to laugh. He waited for him to say that he was completely joking. He waited for him ruffle his hair in that special way and say that he was happy that he was being reunited with his friend once more. However, he didn’t and it only made him more anxious.

“Just let me know if you want some privacy or something.” There was almost venom in his voice and it hurt Tadashi. Deeply. He wasn’t sure what he had done to cause such a response.

Oikawa's words contradicted his actions. He wasn’t sure what it was he wanted anymore. “I don’t want to _interfere_.”

“But, it’s not like that at all!” There was nothing to be angry over and he knew it better than anyone, but his setter was pushing his patience with his cold attitude. “At least, it’s not what you think it is! I’ve thought about confessing to him, but it never got to that point. He doesn’t like me that way? I don't know.”

Oikawa was changing back into his clothes, placing his uniform inside his bag before he suddenly stopped. He turned to look at him. His eyes widened and his frown only got worse. He suddenly slammed the locker door shut, startling him and causing him to jump a little because of it. He seemed more than surprised, more than shocked. There was disappointment and possibly regret. Sadly, the whole situation was starting to give him a headache.

“So you do like him, then? I kind of figured…” There was a laugh, but it wasn’t one he was familiar with. He sighed before it was followed by another long moment of silence.

“It doesn’t matter what I feel or don’t feel. I’m just happy to see him. With club and stuff, I know I had no chance of visiting him.” He started to change out of his sweaty gym clothes too, but Oikawa was already finished. He was already putting on his shoes and his bag was strapped across his chest. "But, he's coming to see me. Of course, I'm going to be happy, but if you're-"

“Are you planning to confess to him? Are you going to tell him now that you’re actually going to see him?”

“It...did cross my mind.”

“Well, good luck then, Tadashi-chan. I wish you the best.” He placed his hands in his pockets and walked toward the door, leaving him behind. He bit his lip again, staring down at the floor instead of meeting his eyes as he turned back to look at him.

It was frustrating and he didn’t even know why. He didn’t know what Oikawa was thinking. That was part of the problem, but he was aware that there was something else. His brain was almost screaming at him to stop his setter from leaving.

Even so, there was nothing left for him to say. Oikawa’s behavior wasn’t going to change what he had anticipated for so long. He couldn’t. He was in love with Kei after all. He loved Kei more than anything and despite the distance, that fact still remain true. It had to be…

“Hope you don’t mind me going on ahead.”

Oikawa left him there alone since the rest of the club members had already gone home. They usually stayed later than most and he was fine with it. They would walk home together afterwards. Now, he was left there by himself and he would go home alone for the first time since moving in with him.

Tadashi finished changing, but instead of rushing home and talking with him, he lingered around instead. He sat down on the bench, his bag thrown to the side. He buried his head in his hands and thought about what it was he was supposed to do. He didn’t have to explain his pathetic love life to anyone and yet, he felt like he had to. It shouldn’t really matter especially not to Oikawa. It was pressuring. He couldn’t ignore what was developing.

 

...

 

It was already past noon. He was in his usual spot, waiting for him and hoping things could go back to normal already. He had his laptop out again. His books and notebook were scattered on the table. He was under a tree that was providing him some nice shade. He had gotten the perfect table outside the main building, near the cafe, but he never came. In fact, he hadn’t seen him all day and it was starting to worry him.

When he came home the night before, Oikawa was already asleep or so he pretended to be anyways. That morning he left earlier than usual without telling him. It was strange and Tadashi couldn’t wrap his head around his odd behavior. He didn’t want to imagine the impossible, but he didn’t know what else to think. It was troubling and he was barely able to get a decent amount of sleep because of it.

He leaned his head over his hand and watched the same students walk by. Sadly, he wasn’t among them. He wasn’t there waving his hands frantically and calling out his name to grab his attention. He wasn’t around to embarrass him which was something he had slowly gotten used to.

Tadashi sighed once again, tilting his head to the sound of a guitar that a random person was playing. It was a nice tune, but rather unfitting to the environment. Even so, he watched and listened for a while, letting the music fill his ears before the song was actually heard. It would have been relaxing if he wasn’t so terribly stressed out.

Should he apologize? He would, but really there was nothing to apologize for. As far as he knew, he hadn’t done anything wrong. He had even asked for Oikawa’s opinion in advance. He said it was fine and that was the reason why he was so eager to invite Kei to the game. It would be a long trip, so he would be spending the night as well. Oikawa was probably aware of it. Maybe that's what really bugged him?

Tadashi didn’t see him for the rest of the day until practice, but even there, he felt like he was purposefully avoiding him. He would try to get near and he would immediately leave without a reason, without giving him an explanation. Still, there was only so much he could tolerate. His patience had already grown thin and now his blood was started to bubble with anger as well. He couldn’t help it. Oikawa, after all, was stubborn. He was worse than he could ever be.

Even so, he wasn’t going to confront him during practice. It would only cause trouble for the others and that was the last thing he wanted. He was already earning the coach’s respect, his acknowledgement and he didn’t want to lose it.

Regardless, it wasn’t hard to notice and one teammate didn’t fail to point it out. “Hey, you’re practicing alone? That’s weird. Oikawa is always around you.”

“He’s not always around me. I don’t need him. He’s annoying, spoiled, and immature. He can’t even tell me what the heck is wrong.” He must have been holding in his frustration for too long. It slipped out without him thinking and it caused his older teammate to laugh hysterically. Tadashi didn’t see what was so amusing. He gripped the ball in his hands a bit tighter, trying his best to not be rude and roll his eyes.

“Well, whatever. I hope you and your boyfriend make up soon. They whole team has been on edge today and that’s not the best feeling to have especially before an important game. It’s the qualifiers after all. Wouldn’t want to mess up so early.” He patted his back with a nod and Tadashi was glad he didn’t notice his face going bright red. “I heard it’s your first game. Your boyfriend must have helped you a lot.”

“He’s not…” Tadashi tried to correct him, but he left without giving him the chance. He stood there dumbfounded instead, wondering it that’s what everyone thought about them. He gulped and his hands slightly began to shake, dropping the ball he was going to toss for himself. His heart pounded loudly within his chest. He felt a heavy lump forming inside his throat.

“He’s not...my boyfriend...why would he...say such a thing?”

 

...

 

Tired of the situation, he made sure to catch up with him after practice. He had left without him again and he had to run at full speed to meet up with him. Almost out of breath, he stopped right in front of him and blocked his path. Oikawa stared at him questionably, but there was a smile. A small one and it was relieving to see. Tadashi gripped his bag nervously and moved toward him, close enough so that he could see his own reflection in his eyes.

“Are you going to tell me or not?” He began, but quickly realized that he wasn’t making sense at all. He stepped back and repeatedly told himself to calm down. He wanted too. He needed to before he said something he didn’t mean, but his teammate’s words were still circling his mind.

“Why have you been avoiding me all day? Did I say something that offended you? That angered you? Or is it because of Tsukki? I hate being like this. I can’t let this extend much further because what Ikeda-senpai said was right. The whole team was on edge today because of you, because of us and it’s going to affect our performance if we don’t do something.”

The team’s performance was important, but it wasn’t exactly the real reason why Tadashi was so desperate to make up with him already. He just didn’t think he could bare another the day that way. Oikawa’s presence, his company was something he had grown to love. He couldn’t stand the idea of them being angry with one another. Naturally, he wouldn’t admit such a thing, but it was the truth. Oikawa was his important friend. He was…an important person to him. Their hug a few nights ago had proved it. He cared about him in a way that was different.

Oikawa didn’t say anything and probably thought about his words for the longest time. Then, he chuckled before he closed the distance by moving forward a bit. He could, most likely, see his flustered face underneath the lamp post, so he turned away. Tadashi covered his blush the best way he could by letting his hair fall over his eyes.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think I was stressing you out so much.” His setter started and then he felt it. His hand reached out for his wrist.

He panicked immediately, thinking about pulling away and running. However, he didn’t move. His body froze by his gentle touch. He closed his eyes as he felt Oikawa getting closer. He didn’t know what to do, but his heartbeat was already out of control. His breathing had intensified ever so slightly. 

Tadashi wasn’t really sure why he was reacting that way, but he was and it bothered him. Still, what he expected never came. Oikawa didn’t grab his hand and he didn’t pull him forward for a kiss. Instead, he grabbed his hair tie that was wrapped around his wrist. He pulled it off and used it to tie his hair back.

He was terrible at it. Tadashi could feel a distorted tight bun on the very top of his head. His vice-captain laughed again, but this time it was more sincere, a bit more real than the first one. Again, it was relieving.

“There that’s better. Sort of?” He was amused, but Tadashi wasn’t going to have it. He was still angry with him for ignoring him all day. He tried to untie and let his hair loose again, but his setter stopped him. Once more, he grabbed his wrists and set his arms back down by his side.

“Just leave it. I prefer...seeing your face.” Oikawa was doing it on purpose, but what he didn’t know was that his heart continued to accelerate. “Really, though. Sorry for avoiding you today, I guess? There was just a lot going on my mind and I needed some space...It has nothing to do with you...at least not directly?”

“What?” Tadashi didn’t understand, but his distraction let his setter continue on walking. He briefly scratched his head since the bun Oikawa had made was a bit too tight for comfort. “What are you talking about? Are you angry with me or not?”

“Here, I know how you can make it up to me.” He started looking through his bag and when Tadashi was about to protest, he handed him a textbook with some papers stuck inside. It was higher level of economics, clearly a course that he hadn’t taken yet. “You can start by writing my report. It's supposed to be about six pages long, I think. The instructions are inside and so is the grading rubric. So, good luck!”

He waved goodbye and started walking ahead of him once more, but not as fast as before. He was obviously waiting for him. Tadashi sighed with annoyance and hoped he wasn’t being serious. Still, he played along. He was just happy that Oikawa was acting normally around him again. He couldn’t have it any other way.

“Yeah, I’ll do your report for you if you want to get a failing grade.” He flipped through the pages, trying to find the instructions he had mentioned for the fun of it. “I’m studying psychology, so you know full well this isn’t my strong point. Then again, I would probably still get a better grade than you could.”

Tadashi didn’t come across the paper with instructions or the grading rubric. Instead, he found a small envelope with his name scribbled on it.

Curiosity took over and he quickly placed the book underneath his arm. He looked at the envelope, opening it and taking a peek. Surprisingly though, he found and pulled out two tickets to an amusement park. He hoped Oikawa hadn’t seen him messing through his stuff, so he quickly put them back inside. He looked up, but found his vice-captain staring in his direction with some embarrassment.

That's when he realized it. He was actually giving them to him this way. He wanted to laugh and at the same time, he wanted to scream.

“I’m not giving up. That’s what I decided, so how about a date?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your patience and for reading!! Like always, I apologize for my mistakes!
> 
> Chapter 10: He wasn't really sure what happened, but there was blood pouring from his nose. Oikawa called a timeout, letting the ball drop on the floor, and rushed to his side.


	10. Chapter 10

He wasn't really sure what happened, but there was blood pouring from his nose. Oikawa called a timeout, letting the ball drop on the floor, and rushed to his side.

It was just a regular practice game. There was nothing unusual about it since they were playing against each other. He should have seen the ball coming, but he was distracted. His mind was pondering and thinking about a million things. He couldn’t focus no matter how hard he tried. His first game was close, but that wasn’t the main thing that was stressing him out.

His team scored a point against the others and they happily cheered since they were slowly continuing to extend their lead. Tadashi was suddenly snapped from his thoughts, wiping the sweat that was trickling down his forehead. His teammate turned towards him and gave him a high five. Sadly, he hadn’t done much of anything. The other regulars were taking the spotlight. Either way, he nervously smiled and quickly tied back his hair. He needed to get serious.

Kei had decided to come visit him and watch the game he had invited for. He was excited about it and he couldn’t wait to see him again. They had already made the arrangement that Tadashi was anxiously looking forward to. He couldn’t wait to finally spend some time with him. He felt like they hadn't seen each other in forever.

Before, however, he wanted nothing more than to confess his feelings and become something more than friends. He wasn't sure whether he felt the same, but he was determined to tell him anyways. That was plan since the start, but now, there was uncertainty. His mind and thoughts were an utter wreck. He wasn’t sure of anything, stricken with a profound confusion that wouldn’t leave him alone.

It wasn’t because of Oikawa or anything. That much he was sure of or at least, he hoped to be. 

He was positive he was just over thinking the situation like he always did. That’s what prevented him from confessing during his past attempts after all, his insecurities and his fear of rejection. He had tell Kei this time. He couldn’t keep coming up excuses. Oikawa wasn’t going to change anything. He couldn't let his presence question his decision.

Tadashi had already messed up once. He couldn't mess up again. 

Before the game resumed, his vice-captain walked up to him and slightly placed his hand over his back. Tadashi looked at him and was surprised to see a gentle smile. He instantly blushed. He couldn’t see himself, but he could feel his face getting hot at the mere sight of him. He gulped, hoping no one else noticed his strange reaction. Then again, a few of his teammates snickered. 

“Hey, are you okay? You seem kind of off today?” Oikawa asked him, but he wondered if he had already forgotten that he had asked him the same thing only a few minutes ago. Was he really being that obvious? Was his behavior really that odd?

“Relax! Everything’s going to be fine. There’s no reason to be nervous! That's why we're here. We're trying to give you some extra tips and points; what to do and what not to do."

Tadashi nodded, but, unfortunately, there was no way he could calm himself down. His vice-captain patted his head a few more times, ruffling his hair and pushing it away from his face. He returned to his position. For once they were playing on the same side of the net, but that was only making things worse. He couldn’t stop remembering about the tickets Oikawa had gotten him. He couldn’t stop remembering how happy he felt toward the gesture. He agreed without hesitation and he soon realized that he couldn't wait to go on that trip with him. 

The idea itself wasn’t bad. They were rather stressed, so he was sure an amusement park would put their nerves at ease. He was excited, but at the same time, he couldn’t believe it. Oikawa had, jokingly, asked him out several times before. He was always teasing him one way or another, but he didn't seem to be playing around anymore. There were instances when he became unusually serious.

He didn’t know what he was suppose to make of it. He didn’t know if the invitation carried more meaning behind it or not.

Tadashi tried not to think about it anymore, deciding to focus the remaining bit of his energy on the game. It was almost over and they still had the advantage. Even so, with Oikawa on their side, it was almost impossible for them to lose. Glancing in his direction, he watched as his vice-captain successfully blocked the ball that smashed toward him with ease. He laughed and his older teammate scowled at him with frustration.

Another point and Tadashi couldn’t help but stare. Oikawa was truly amazing and great at everything he did. He wondered why he had never really appreciated it before. He was probably the luckiest person in the world to him so close and nearby.

 

The ball was tossed in the air once.

 

He was his roommate, but slowly he had become his friend as well. It was impossible for them not to be. They did most things together. He was always following him around and he had grown used to it. He never disliked his company. Their practices together had become something that he looked forward too. There always something new to learn and experience. Oikawa would always make sure of it and thanks to that, he had grown in skill.

 

His teammate on the other side of the court received the ball accordingly.

 

Tadashi got ready and tried to concentrate, but he couldn’t stop thinking about him. It was a fact, after all. Oikawa cared about him in ways no one had ever showed in him before. He was considerate, attentive towards the team, but there was a special kindness that was reserved for him especially. While he didn’t want to be too self absorbed, he couldn’t ignore that happy feeling that was suddenly bubbling inside him. He smiled to himself and for a second he turned to look at him.

Aside from everything else, he truly was attractive. The other guys were always complaining about the swarms of girls that were always following him in games. There were even rumors that said he had his own his fan club with both guys and girls alike. Tadashi could actually believe it, though.

Even though he was a bit childish and persistent, Oikawa tried to get along with everyone, bringing out their best in every single game. He was a hard worker, but never on others. He was knowledgeable. He knew his about his weakness and accepted them for what they were. He placed limits on himself, but he never let that or anything else hinder his efforts. In other words, Oikawa Tooru was an incredible person.

 

“Yamaguchi!”

 

"Tadashi!"

 

He heard his name being called simultaneously and he turned around to see the ball coming straight in his direction.

 

Tadashi didn’t have time to react. It hit his face and the next thing he knows he’s on the ground. He hears a whistle. He hears someone yelling for a timeout, but he can’t really make out anything else. He suddenly feels dizzy, like if the whole court was spinning in countless circles. He tries to sit up, but even that seems difficult in that moment. The others gather around to help. They ask him, over and over, if he’s alright. He assures him he is, but there’s blood pouring from his nose.

A bit shocked, he watches as it drips onto his uniform. He quickly covers himself with his hand, but that isn’t enough. Pretty soon, it’s dripping on the floor as well. His teammates panic, but Oikawa pushes himself through. He stands in front of him and for a second, Tadashi thought he was going to get angry. He thought he was going to blame and criticize him for not paying attention after he had repeatedly told him thousands of times.

Surprisingly, those sharp remarks never came. Instead, Oikawa knelt before him on the floor and held his face with his strong hands. His worried expression leaves him completely speechless. He had never seen him like that before. He didn’t think anyone had. He inspects him from every angle to make sure he's alright. 

“Hey, what happened?! Are you okay?! You're not hurt?” Tadashi nodded, but his response was completely overlooked. He was given a towel by another teammate and he notices an uneasy smile on Oikawa’s face. “Liar.”

His vice-captain helps him stand up. He places his arm around his neck and Oikawa supports most of his weight.

Still, he can walk. He wouldn’t fall over if he’s left completely alone, but the dizziness doesn’t completely dissolve. Oikawa is aware of it and that’s probably why he doesn’t dare to let him go. Tadashi holds the towel over his nose, but he isn’t really what is going on on anymore. He lets his vice-captain guide him to the infirmary. Thankfully, it wasn't far from their gymnasium. 

A few of his teammates insisted on coming along, but Oikawa assures them that he can handle it. He tells them to resume the game. His faint smile never leaves his face. He tries to keep his cool composure, but Tadashi could tell. Easily. His setter’s hands are shaking as he holds him firmly as their bodies press and lean against each other.

“It’s fine. I’ll take care of him. There’s nothing to worry. It doesn’t look too serious.” Tadashi nods in agreement, but again, he’s unable to speak. He starts to feel a bit guilty for causing so much trouble. He regrets letting his thoughts ruin his performance. “Really, Tadashi. You shouldn’t scare us like that.”

They walk to the infirmary in complete silence after that and Tadashi wants to tell him he can walk. He doesn’t need to keep holding on to him. He was only hit on the face. It shouldn't impede him from walking. He couldn't even begin to recall how many times Hinata was struck in the same manner back when he was in high school. He would always get right up like if nothing had happened. He wished he could be that resilient.

Despite his amusing thoughts, he can’t can’t get himself to say anything. He watches his setter from the corner of his eyes, trying to figure out what he why he could possibly care so much. Biting his lip, Tadashi suddenly feels a headache coming on.

“I’m sorry…” He finally blurts out before they step inside the campus infirmary. Oikawa looks at him curiously, lifting an eyebrow. “I wasn’t paying attention. You were right. I’ve been kind of out of it today, but I promise I won’t let it happen again. I don’t want to disappoint you...or the coach after I’m finally going to get a chance to play in an official game.”

“That’s not really the problem.” They walk inside and he helps him sit down on a nearby chair. He calls out for assistance, but no one is there. He helplessly sighs, looking back at him with another tender smile. Tadashi feels his face getting hot again. “It’s just relieving to see that you’re okay. I panicked when I saw drop to the floor like that. I ran to you as quickly as could.”

His nose had stopped bleeding already, but the towel and his uniform had gotten quite dirty. His face felt sticky from the dried up blood. He wanted to rush to the sink to wash his face. It was on the other side of the room next to the desk, but he couldn’t move. He was slightly trembling from Oikawa’s stern gaze.

“So, are you going to tell me what’s wrong or not?”

“There’s...nothing wrong.” Tadashi informed him, but that was a lie through and through. The air suddenly felt stuffy and suffocating. He took a deep breath and did his best to calm down down. He could just say nothing was wrong especially after what had occurred. “This headache is killing me, though.”

Immediately, Oikawa begins to look through the cabinets for some medicine. It took him some time before he hands him a small bottle of aspirin. He takes it from him, but he doesn’t try to open. He doesn’t want to get in trouble for touching and grabbing things without permission.

He thinks about it for a second when he suddenly feels Oikawa leaning toward him again. His setter doesn’t ask him, but presses a cold and wet cloth over his nose. He cleans him and Tadashi is, once again, slightly shocked.

There was something different developing.

They were suddenly so close. He easily become lost in his beautiful brown eyes. His vice-captain noticed him staring and sly smirk appeared across his face. “What? Can’t get enough of me? I noticed you were watching me earlier too.”

“No, I wasn't!" He immediately protested and Oikawa teasingly rolled his eyes, mimicking his alarmed response. Tadashi helplessly sighed and tried to snatch the damp piece of cloth away from him. His missed consequentially since he kept lifting it out of reach. "I just...I thought you might be grossed out or something, wiping my bloody nose like this. It’s uncommon.”

He didn’t understand why he cared so much. He wanted to ask him, but at the same time he was afraid. He was scared of finding the answer and realizing that what he wanted the most wasn't the same anymore. “It’s fine, now. I’m okay. You can go back. I think they’re probably waiting for you.”

“I’d rather be here, though.” He assures him, so he lets him proceed. He increases his grip on the bottle of pills in his hands, but his headache was hardly a concern now. There was something he desperately needed to do about his racing heart.

“So, is it about, Tsukishima? Are you nervous about seeing him again?” His vice-captain suddenly asks, but Tadashi can’t get himself to admit or deny it. In that moment, Oikawa was the only one that was circling his mind. Why? Maybe he doesn't want to understand.

Suddenly, his eyes are wide when his setter touches his face again. His hand slides up to feel his forehead.

“Hey, you’re getting pale. Are you sure you’re not sick? Maybe you should head home and get some rest. That’s probably what’s best for you.” His vice-captain stands up and drops the towel over the sink. He washes his hands before his attention driven back to him. “Can’t have you getting sick before a game. We’re counting on you remember?”

“I’m not. That’s not it. I’ve been wondering about something.” Sadly, things were much more complicated than what he had expected. Kei could be the cause of it, but really, he couldn’t continue to avoid what he was currently feeling.

“Why...why do you care so much?”

It was barely a whisper, but he was loud enough to be heard. Oikawa looked at him with a puzzled expression, probably startled by his sudden question. He remained silent for the longest time, his smile vanishing completely from his face. He became utterly serious which caused Tadashi to turn away nervously. Scratching the back of his neck, he stands up and decides that it was best to leave.

“I’m actually feeling much better now. Thank you so much for your care. I'll head back to the gym first then.”

Tadashi tried to walk past him. He rushed to the door, but he was stopped midway. Oikawa grabbed his hand and pulled him back. His heart continued to pound uncontrollably as he got daringly close once again. 

“Oikawa-san, what are you doing?” He asked him, but he was perfectly aware of what was going on. He was surprised and he was afraid that his knees would give in. Oikawa wasn’t saying anything, but eventually he let go of his hands to touch his arms. Then, his fingers trickled up to his neck and onto his jaw. He held his chin and positioned him just right.

“Oikawa-san…”

His voice was drown out by the awkward silence that suddenly filled the room. Their breaths, the shifting of their bodies were the only sound of movement that could be heard. Tadashi needed to push him away. He needed to exclaim, to yell that what they were doing was wrong, but he couldn’t. That wasn’t what he wanted in reality. He liked having Oikawa near. It wasn’t the first time he had noticed it either.

With this in mind, Tadashi leaned in closer and he was tempted to embrace him tightly in his arms again. He wanted to be filled with his sweet scent of cologne and sweat. He wanted to feel his heartbeat so close to his that it could burst within his chest. 

He felt like he was betraying Kei that way and guilt quickly consumed him. He took a step back, but his hands still found a way to reach out to him, to his vice-captain, to Oikawa, to the person that was making him doubt everything that he once knew.

The room was dim, the sun was setting in the background, but Tadashi could see the smile returning again. It was different from the one he had seen earlier, one that was fused with concern and distress. He seemed truly happy and it elated him to think he could possibly be the cause of it. Did he,then? Did he like him? Was that why he seemed so bothered when he mentioned Kei’s visit? Was that the reason why he cared so much? Was he showing his emotions and feelings to him this way?

He wasn’t sure and he tried to ask him, but he was quickly hushed the minute he opened his mouth. Tadashi continued to step back even though he had completely surrendered since the beginning. Eventually, he fell over one of the resting beds and Oikawa leaned forward regardless. He placed his hands over the bedding, almost climbing over him.

“Why do I care so much? That’s what you asked, right?” He asked him quietly, but his expression was surprisingly gentle. Tadashi looked away, almost ashamed by his earlier statement. “Do you really not know? Or are you just so fixated on one thing to notice? Or are you afraid of realizing what’s happened?”

“I know…” Tadashi sat up properly and tried to push him away this time before he completely lost his mind. However, one simple gaze was all it took to stop him. Then, Oikawa lowered his head with his lips hovering just above his. He stayed that way for a few seconds, his heavy breathing hitting his skin until Tadashi finally closed his eyes.

It was wrong.

He was in love with Kei and he was planning to confess to him.

So, he didn’t understand why he didn’t want Oikawa to let him go. Ever.

Tadashi continued to wait, but the kiss he was anticipating from his setter never came. He slowly opened his eyes to find a grin spreading widely across Oikawa’s face. He quickly blushed and looked down at his feet instead. He was beyond embarrassed since he was actually expecting something more. 

“You know, it’s getting kind of late. The game is probably over unless they called it quits already. We should get our stuff and head home early for once. I’m kind of tired.” Oikawa told him, pretending that nothing had happened. Unsure of what to do or say, he simply nodded in agreement. His face was still burning hot. His heart wouldn’t stop racing. He was nervously sweating and yet, he couldn’t find the will to let him go.

“It’s a scary thing to realize, huh? That something you always wanted has changed.” Before he had a chance to walk out the infirmary, Oikawa blocked his path by the doorway and extended his hand in front of him. “But, then again, it’s relieving to know that you might actually have a chance.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading and again, I apologize for my mistakes!
> 
> Chapter 11: Tsukishima finally arrives. He thought about confessing his feelings, but sadly, he isn't sure what they are anymore.


	11. Chapter 11

Kei had finally arrived. He thought about confessing his feelings, but sadly, Tadashi wasn’t sure what they were anymore.

And he was nervous about that. He was nervous about the game. He was nervous about the sudden development that was going on between him and Oikawa. It was the source of his confusion and he wasn’t sure what he wanted anymore. Things just weren’t clear. His mind was a blur, a complete mess.

Even so, he tried not to think about it.

They were winning and they slowly kept extending their lead. It was thrilling, but nothing made him happier than knowing that he was actually a part of the game. He wasn’t sitting in the bench like before, watching and learning from afar. Tadashi was in the middle of his first official volleyball match since he started college. He had finally been given the chance to prove himself and show why exactly he was the captain of Karasuno. He couldn’t disappoint them. He couldn’t disappoint Oikawa after he had gone out of his way to help him, so he tried to push all his unnecessary worries away.

He couldn’t afford to get distracted this time. He didn’t want the same thing from the other day to happen again, so he remained calm. Even though he knew Kei was somewhere in the audience, somewhere among the loud cheering crowd, Tadashi kept his cool. Instead, he did everything he could to sync his movements to his teammates, to Oikawa, to the captain.

He was sweating, breathing harder than what he was used to. After all, it was nothing like the practice games he had been through before. The opposing team was tough and it was one of the strongest teams in the region. It wasn’t easy for him to keep up with the others, but not impossible.

In reality, he had improved. He had engaged in intense practice sessions with Oikawa and there was hardly anyone on the court that could compete with him at that level. Their opponents were easier to handle compared to Oikawa’s superior serves and skills that he had played against many, many times.

Tadashi was good at blocking in high school, but he had gotten even better. His spikes had always lacked force, but now he felt confident enough to break and push through anything. He was faster, quicker to react. He didn’t hesitate as much. He was still cautious, but agreed that there were times when risks had to be made. He trusted his new teammates, but most importantly he trusted himself more than he could in the past. He was different and his vice-captain was the one responsible for it.

“Tadashi.”

His name was called and he turned to see Oikawa getting ready as the ball was played in their direction. He nodded, but waited for his signal.

Genuinely, he had learned many things from his setter that he didn’t know before even as a captain himself. He still continued to surprise him every so often since there was always something new to grasp. There was something always new to learn.

It took a few a seconds. Oikawa got into position, so he did too and he was grateful for his lack of presence. The others didn’t notice his swift movements and when the ball was tossed toward him, it was already too late. He slammed it as hard as he could over net, a feeling that was so different and contradicting to his float serves. In a blink of an eye, it hit the floor and extended their lead.

The captain stepped over and patted his back, but told him he was expecting nothing less. Tadashi nodded and turned to look at his setter. He smiled at him and even though the awkwardness from the previous day still existed, he smiled back. Oikawa’s expression softened, the intensity in his eyes vanished when he looked at him.

Tadashi’s heart immediately rushed because it. His face became hot and he suddenly didn’t know what to do with himself.

For that reason, he didn’t bother looking up and around the stadium. Tadashi knew Kei was there. He had texted him saying that he would meet him in the gym, after the game since he wouldn’t be able to see him any earlier. Originally, he thought about meeting up with him in his apartment, but his trip had been delayed because of school. He would be lucky to make it to his game at all.

Of course, Tadashi was fine with it and figured it would be less stressing that way as well. Something within told him that it was better, preferable if his friends didn’t encounter each other. He knew Oikawa could be rude and Kei, honestly, wasn’t any better.

The other team was eventually forced to take a timeout after a few successful plays from their part. They were close to winning their second set and it was mostly because of Oikawa. He knew how to handle and manage the team so well. It would only be a matter of time, but that didn’t ease the tension and pressure that kept building up. Their opponents had been so sure of themselves in the beginning, but the tables had quickly turned.

Naturally, it came to them as a surprise. They were probably expecting to win without much of a challenge. It seemed that they had memorized all their moves, tactics, and strategies from previous games. They had probably done the same amount of research and analysis as they had done on them.

However, there was something that they hadn’t been expecting.

“It’s because of our secret weapon that Tooru took the time to polish.” The captain quietly laughed as they huddled together. His setter casually shrugged, but didn’t make any further remark. “But, don’t let your guard down. Anything can happen in volleyball and it appears that they haven’t given up. The game isn’t over yet.”

Tadashi knew he wasn’t anything extraordinary or revealing, but he truly wanted to believe that he was the secret weapon that his team had needed. After all, his greatest strength was his capability to adapt to most situation and his serves. Even though college volleyball was completely different from high school, Tadashi’s determination to succeed didn’t falter. Even though he was nervous, his body and actions were steady. It was coming to a point where he moved by instinct and experience.

But, he wanted to continue trying his best. He needed to get even better, so he wouldn’t be left behind by the others. He didn’t want that game to be his last.

The captain placed his hand over his shoulder, telling him to keep it up and to not lose his focus. He nodded, but his eyes shifted to Oikawa again. His gaze remained on him and he quietly watched as he happily chattered away with other guys. His smile, his laughter made his heart race even though it wasn’t being directed at him. He bit his lip and rapidly turned away at the realization.

Honestly, he was the worst especially since he had made up his mind to finally confess his feelings to Kei. He was finally going to see him. The moment had finally arrived and yet, his mind was boggled with Oikawa. Even if he wanted to, Tadashi couldn’t stop thinking about him. His presence alone consumed his entire being and he secretly wished he could hold him without ever letting go.

He knew he was being selfish, but he couldn’t help it. His emotions were contradicting themselves.

“Are you okay? You look kind of pale again?” Tadashi looked up to find his setter standing right in front of him. He kept his distance, but flicked his forehead with his finger. “There’s no reason to be nervous. Just calm down or else you're going to be smacked in the face by the ball like last time.”

Oikawa was teasing him again as he quietly laughed. Then, he lifted his hand and gently pushed his hair away from his face. Half of it was already tied back, but he had left his fringe loose on that particular day. Nonetheless, Tadashi froze in place and he could faintly hear his other teammates snickering among themselves as the scene unfolded between them. Naturally, Oikawa didn’t seem to care.

“There. That’s better. You should really clip it back, so your hair doesn’t distract you and get in the way.” He wiped his hands with a towel before he tossed to him. “You’re covered in sweat. Not that I mind, of course.”

Tadashi felt his face going red as he cleaned himself off a little. “You’re all sweaty too!”

He wasn’t given a chance to respond since their quick timeout was suddenly over. They all adjusted themselves and headed back to the court. However, before he positioned himself, Oikawa caught up with him and whispered something that was only meant for him. “I prefer your hair pulled back. I can look into your eyes better that way...especially since you’re always staring at me.”

If they weren’t in the middle of a game, he probably would have denied it and pushed him away even though it was true. Instead, he rolled his eyes, making Oikawa laugh lightly. He went toward the back since it was his turn to serve and for a moment, he almost felt sorry for their opponents. He could see their faces stricken with panic. Oikawa was always a pain to deal with and he knew that feeling first hand.

Nothing really changed after that and they ended up winning with a large lead. It was exciting since they would only continue to advance. Tadashi was completely overjoyed with the result since he had contributed. He had helped out the team and was able to meet their expectations. He worried about the future teams they would have to face later, but he hoped they would ask him to play once more. 

They were in the locker room, changing out of their uniforms, happily discussing the game that had transpired. Everyone was still excited and had enough energy to spare. As a result, they all agreed to eat out before they headed home.

He would have joined his team, but he had something pending. His mouth suddenly went dry as he read the message he had received just minutes ago, over and over again. It was from Kei.

 

_Hey, I made it and caught most of the game. You were amazing…_

 

He sighed as he felt his heart sink to the bottom of his chest. Tadashi wished he could turn back time and stop himself from ever interacting with Oikawa. It was his fault he was in that situation. It was his fault everything had changed. He had made a grave mistake. Tadashi tilted his head, his vision getting blurry as his eyes swelled with tears.

What in the world was he doing anyways? How was he suppose decide? The answer, the person he was suppose to love was Kei, but...

He couldn’t.

He had waited so long to confess to Kei and now that the opportunity had finally arrived again, he had doubt from left to right.

And it was all because of him, Oikawa Tooru. It was impossible to let go.

 

_I’m waiting for you outside the gym. I need to talk to you._

 

Tadashi nodded to himself and placed his phone inside his bag. He didn’t know what he was going to say to Kei, but he did want to see him as well. He was his childhood friend after all. He cared about him dearly. The others were still talking about where they should to celebrate when he accidentally disrupted the conversation by slamming the locker door a bit too loud. Oikawa was the first to approach him and that only made him feel worse.

“Hey, what do you think, Yama-chan?” He asked, but he knew exactly what he was referring to even before he explained.

Then, he looked at him in the eyes and Tadashi saw as his setter’s cheery expression slightly falter. He probably noticed that he was going through a lot of conflict and that something was obviously wrong. Lately, Oikawa could read him like an open book, without even trying too hard. That’s was how close and connected they had become.

His setter placed his arm around his neck and pretended that he hadn’t just read his mind through a simple gaze. He pulled him closer, but he was so close that his breaths were practically hitting the side of his neck. Tadashi’s body stiffened. “We’re going out to eat. Any suggestions? Is there something particular that you’re craving? It’s my treat.”

As much as it pained him, Tadashi pulled himself away from his grasp and tried to smile as brightly as he could. “I’m sorry. You guys can go on ahead without me. There’s...someone that I need to meet up with. They came all this way to see the game and they’re waiting for me.”

“Oh, is it your girlfriend?” The captain playfully punched his side and Tadashi humored him by quietly laughing. However, the smile was long gone from Oikawa’s face.

“No, he’s...a friend from high school. I haven’t seen him in a long time and I don’t know when I’ll get the chance to see him again. We've both been pretty busy.” He admitted more than he would have liked, but for some reason, he couldn’t tear his gaze away from his vice-captain.

Oikawa had already walked back to his locker and was pretending to change. However, he kept his face hidden behind the locker door and Tadashi suddenly wanted to scream that he was misunderstanding everything. 

He had already made up his mind. 

Really, he didn’t have much of choice. He needed to be honest. His mind, his feelings were still a jumbled mess, but there was only one thing that he absolutely sure of; he wasn’t in love with Kei. Not anymore.

There was someone else in the picture. He couldn’t keep lying. Who in the world was he kidding?

“I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you guys next time.” Tadashi placed the strap of his bag across his chest and headed toward the door. No one thought much of his departure, but he knew that didn’t apply to his setter. He seemed more upset than ever.

“Have a nice time, then, Tadashi.” Oikawa suddenly exclaimed, but his voice was off. He was smiling at him, but it wasn’t sincere.

He probably didn’t expect Kei to come at all since he didn’t show up that morning at their apartments like they had agreed. Tadashi had even gone out of his way to make breakfast for them to enjoy despite Oikawa’s grumbling. He kept threatening to leave, but naturally, he never did despite his complaints. In the end, Kei never showed up and they ended up eating his home cooked food without him.

Oikawa bluntly exclaimed that he was glad that he wouldn’t be coming. He stated that he would have just come ruin things. He was quite pleased with the outcome.

However, he later received a text from his best friend before the game began, saying that he was almost there and that he would definitely make it. Late, but he would be there without fail. Tadashi was relieved, but he never got around to telling Oikawa that.

“T-thanks. I’ll try.” Tadashi shot back at him since, clearly, he didn’t understand a single thing that was going on. Either way, he hadn’t anticipated to see such a hurtful expression on Oikawa's face. It made a cold shiver run down his spine.

Anxiously, he stepped outside the room with that image inside his mind. He started walking toward the front door, but after a few steps, he leaned his back against the wall with a deep sigh. He wished he could have explained things before he left. It destroyed him to see him that way. He had gotten the wrong idea about everything.

He wasn’t meeting with Kei to confess his undying love. That had changed. He had made up his mind and regardless of what would happen, he needed to see him so he could finally come terms with his own emotions. He needed to make sense of it before anything else.

It was inevitable, but there was no point denying it. Oikawa’s gestures, his words, his small touches were ingrained within him. He couldn’t stop thinking about him anymore. His thoughts didn’t belong solely to Kei and that’s what he wanted to discuss if the topic ever dared to rise. The kiss he had shared before with his best friend seemed distant and foreign. It had somehow already lost that special, lingering feeling.

Why? Why didn’t he ever try harder to confess? What had been holding him back?

He loved him ever since he could remember, since middle school possibly, but his insecurities always remained. His doubts never left him. That was part of the reason why he could never really come forward.

Tadashi thought things would change between them once they entered high school and unsurprisingly, they didn’t. They joined the volleyball team and everything stayed the same. However, Tadashi was fine with it. He was happy just being by his side. He was content with being his best friend. He thought that was all he needed to have a wonderful, fulfilling life.

Sadly, he couldn’t have been more wrong and that’s when he thought confessing was for the best, so he tried to. He tried many times, but he always failed. His indecision trampled all the opportunities that had risen and while he regretted it, he always figured that he could try again any other day. His feelings for Kei were never going to change. He assumed they never would and took it for granted.

But, they did change and in the most unexpected way ever. It made him realize that developing feelings for Oikawa was probably his biggest mistake of all.

A fatal misstep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been months, so I'm sorry for the wait! It's been a while and I'm finally getting that motivation to write again especially now that school has started. I'll try to update a bit faster this time, promise. So, thank you for your patience and for reading! I apologize for my mistakes!! 
> 
> Also, I want to thank Sel for the lovely [art](http://oiyamah.tumblr.com/post/146227024320/commissioned-the-lovely-selpeda-he-wasnt)! It's absolutely adorable. I never described what their uniforms looked like or their colors (because I'm vague like that), but that is definitely what I have in mind now! 
> 
> Chapter 12: "Tsukki, there is something important I want to talk to you about."


	12. Chapter 12

Honestly, there was so much that he needed to say, but he didn’t even know where to begin. He had been avoiding the conversation up until that point and he knew he couldn’t go back. Not anymore. He had delayed enough and he couldn’t bare the anxiety of it all.

It had been a while already. He had spotted him outside the gym after the game was over, with his hands crossed and with an impatient expression over his face. He was looking around, probably trying to find him within the multitude of the crowd that was walking out of the stadium. It made Tadashi chuckle a little and when he finally called him over, Kei immediately approached him with his bag strapped over his shoulder.

Strangely, his worries suddenly vanished in that moment and he somehow found the courage to embrace his best friend as tightly as he could. He had missed him so much, after all. Despite everything that was going on, he couldn’t deny the happiness he felt upon seeing Kei. It was inevitable and he didn’t seem to mind it at all. They stayed that way for a bit until his best friend stepped back with embarrassment. “Hey, it's been a while. Sorry I couldn’t make it earlier.”

“It’s fine. The important thing is that you’re actually here. I still can’t believe it. I feel like it’s been years. This has probably been the longest we’ve ever been apart.”

They had always been together. Ever since middle, they were practically inseparable. He would always follow Kei around wherever he went and Kei never bothered to leave him alone, afraid that he would get picked on again if he wasn’t around to defend him. It became the most natural thing. There was nothing unusual about them being together and he was sure everyone around them thought the same thing.

However, he had messed up and it all started when he failed the examination for Kei’s school of choice. They wouldn’t be there if it hadn’t been for that. Everything would have been different, either for better or worse. “I missed you so much. These past few months...it’s been crazy.”

“Congrats on your game. You were pretty amazing.” Kei commented with a brief smile as he guided them to a nearby cafe that was only a few blocks away from their location. “I had never seen you play that way. It was almost like you were completely different person from high school. You were good before, but now...you’ve gotten even better. It was interesting to watch. I see why you were so persistent about wanting me to come over.”

“It wasn’t easy, though. I had to practice a lot and there’s still so much that I don’t know.” He told him truthfully when an image of Oikawa suddenly appeared inside his mind. His encouraging words resonated within him, a reminder of how he had totally fallen for his vice-captain. His thoughts wouldn’t leave him alone for an instant.

“I love...my team so much. I couldn’t have made it this far without them. I think I told you, but this was my first game and I was so nervous. In the end, everything turned out okay and they knew I could do it. Actually,  I still can’t believe I was given a chance to play at all especially since I’m barely a first year.” Kei nodded, but he didn’t seem too surprised. He had always believed in him since the very start. “Anyways, what about you? How are things in school going? Any clubs? Any new friends? Volleyball?”

“I’ve been pretty busy with projects and homework. Actually, it’s been a workload and I haven’t found a chance to try anything else.” Tadashi tilted his head with a frown, causing his friend to sigh. “It’s true. I’m not lying to you. My classes are especially difficult. Nothing I can’t handle, but it’s a lot. As for my social life, I’m still working on it.”

“Well, that’s good to hear, then.”

They got to the cafe within minutes and instantly, they became the source of everyone’s attention inside. There were a couple of whispers with giggles, but he was sure they were all just attracted to Kei’s strong presence.

Even after so many years, that never seemed to change.

They ordered their drinks, along with a cake tart he had tried with Oikawa once before. They sat near the window, behind a group of girls that kept turning around to stare at them with awe and curiosity. It made him smile looking at them since he used to be the same way. He would admire and like Kei from afar without ever saying anything. He was content with it and he didn’t want that aspect in their relationship to change. Ever. But, again, nothing is ever meant to last.

“Tsukki, there’s something important I need to tell you.” Tadashi began, unsure if he was approaching the conversation correctly. Already, his heart was stammering within his chest. The warm drink in his hand wasn’t enough to calm down his accelerated nerves. “I was…I’ve been worried about this.”

“About what?” His best friend lifted an eyebrow, slicing a piece of his cake carefully. “About seeing me again?”

“No. Not particularly.” He was nervous about that and many other things, but he couldn’t admit it so suddenly that way. Biting his lower lip, Tadashi avoided Kei’s gaze and looked outside at the setting sun. “So much has happened since then, since that day...since the kiss. So many thoughts have crossed my mind. I didn’t know what to make of it. There were so many doubts and I was just so indecisive about everything.”

His chest was starting to feel heavy as he thought about that moment he had considered so special before. Now, their kiss had become nothing but a nostalgic memory. “There were just so many questions. Even now, I still wonder what would have happened if I would have at least confronted you about it. How would we be? Where would we be right now? Would it have made a difference if I would have told you...what exactly I felt for you back then?”

“It probably would have made a difference.” Kei suddenly seemed hurt, but he couldn’t run away from it. That’s all he had ever done before. He wouldn’t be able to move forward if they didn’t discuss what had happened. It was the only way for him to sort out the jumbled mess of emotions he carried in his heart.

“But, it’s not your fault, Yamaguchi. I was asking myself the same questions.” Tadashi gritted his teeth, upset and angry with the claim that was coming from his best friend. He had never realized it before, but they had both lost the chance of a lifetime for not speaking up, for keeping their feelings hidden for so long, for concealing something that was so precious. It was kind of tragic, disheartening.

“Funny, huh? It was just one regret after another.”

Tadashi quietly laughed, but there wasn’t anything amusing about his best friend’s words. They were hurtful to listen to especially since there was nothing he could do about it now. Everything had changed because he had failed to take action when he should have. They both had let go and that chance would never come back around. “So, I guess, that means, that you did...that you liked me?”

“I don’t...think ‘like’ is the word I would use.” He was trying. He was trying so hard not to get up and run out. The conversation was so light, so casual, but the aching pressure in his chest wouldn’t disappear. “I like dinosaurs. I like strawberries. I like volleyball, so it's different. I didn’t just ‘like’ you, Tadashi. You weren’t just tolerable.”

“I didn’t just ‘like’ you, either...Kei..”

Their feelings had been mutual since the beginning and he had never noticed because of own insecurities. It had been over before it even began. Tadashi wanted to cry and as much as he wanted it, he couldn’t correspond him. Not anymore. “I had...many regrets as well. It was pretty awful coming to a new school without you. I had forgotten that feeling, that feeling of not having you by my side.”

“But? Something happened? Didn’t it?” There was sad smile on Kei’s face. He could barely stand to look at him. “Otherwise, we wouldn’t be here talking like this or would we?”

“Yeah, you’re right. It wouldn’t have turned out this way. I’m sorry.” Tadashi took a deep breath as he lowered his head enough so his best friend wouldn’t be able to see his dreading gloom. It wasn’t that he wanted things to turn out that way. Everything felt like one giant mistake. He just wasn’t suppose to fall for anyone other than Kei. It was wrong, through and through. “It’s just that-”

“No, wait. Let me guess.” He leaned forward, startling Tadashi as he gently lifted his head with his hand. They looked into each other’s eyes for the first time since they had arrived. “Does it have something to do with Oikawa? Is he the reason you’re like this? You like him, don’t you?”

“...Probably.”

Kei sat back down on his seat and took a bite from his cake after letting it sit there for a few minutes. The icing on the side was already starting to lose it’s form. The smile he had worn before cracked into a evil smirk that he was terrified to see. “I figured. It was so obvious even on the court. You got it bad, Tadashi. Are planning to actually say something this time or are you going to let it slip by again?”

“That’s…” He was in no position to speak, but Kei’s rudeness was definitely uncalled for. Tadashi knew he had hurt his best friend by staying silent. However, he wasn’t exactly faultless either. He could have easily told him how he felt as well. Why was he expected to make the first move? “I don’t know. I’m not even sure if he likes me that way. I’m his teammate, his roommate. Nothing more.”

“I don’t believe it.”

“It’s true!”

“Then, why were you looking at him like you wanted to kiss him or something? How can you even flirt with each other that way and then deny it? Only an idiot wouldn’t notice what was going on.” Kei sounded more annoyed than before and that was exactly what he had been afraid of. He could never quite handle him when he was so forward and blunt. “How the hell did it even happen, though? I don’t get it. I thought you hated him?”

“I thought I did too. I was never expecting to develop....this for him. It’s driving me insane and I don’t know what to do.” Tadashi pushed his hair back, snapping right back at him. “It’s not like I asked to like him. It kind of just happened and how could it not...with all that attention he gave me. I thought he was annoying at first, but it turns out he’s a great human being. How was I supposed to know?”

“Ridiculous. And I’m guessing he’s the one that helped you practice. You guys seemed to read each other’s movements pretty well.”

“I’m sorry…” Tadashi paused and leaned his face over his hand, his elbow resting over the table. “I know this is weird to talk about, so I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you and I understand if you hate me now. I wasn’t able to do anything before and now...this happens. The regret that I carried so deep with me was eventually forgotten. Before I knew it, I was glad I had come to Oikawa’s school...I got to meet him. I got to know him and nothing makes me more happier than that.”

“So, that’s how it is then. I guess it can’t be helped. There’s no way to change your mind?” Kei stood up from his seat after he had wiped his plate clean. He looked at him with an intense gaze and the only thing he could do was stare back. “If that’s what you decide, then I’m not going to interfere. It’s your choice even if I disagree. And I still...think I can make you happier…”

“Tsukki, I-”

“Just stop or you’ll make everything worse. C’mon, I’ll let you walk me to the train station. I'll go back to the airport from there.”

“So, you’re not planning to stay over?” He asked him, but immediately took it back. Honestly, how inconsiderate could he be? He couldn’t ask him to sleep over when Oikawa would likely be around.

“No, actually I have something important I need to do tomorrow. That’s why I didn’t bring anything aside from my bag.”Tadashi nodded as he quickly grabbed his belongings too and followed him out the door. However, he was able to hear the disappointment from the girls that were sitting right behind them since they were leaving without taking a second to notice them.

Kei clicked his tongue with frustration. “Man, they’re annoying.”

“They just wanted your attention. You shouldn’t be so mean.”

“The were gushing over _you_ the entire time. I had nothing to do with it. Honestly, how could you not tell? How dense can you be?”

He held the door open for him as he stepped out, but instead of lashing out at him again, Kei sighed loudly as if he were finally giving up. Then, he quietly lifted his hand and messed up his hair with a warm expression. “I feel sorry for Oikawa. You’re probably giving him a major headache.”

…

 

It wasn’t as late as he first thought it was when he arrived, but he wasn’t sure if Oikawa was home yet. He had texted him several times a couple minutes ago. In fact, he had even called him a few times as well. However, he was sent to his voicemail each time and his messages were all ignored. Tadashi became worried and hoped he wasn’t angry with him as well. He was never ever able to explain after all.

Tadashi pulled out his key from his bag and stepped inside to find their home faintly lighted by the lamp they had in the living room. He was relieved to know his vice-captain there, but at the same time, he wasn’t sure how he was suppose to face him. What in the world was he suppose to say? He couldn’t just walk up and say that he had finally realized his true feelings for him. He couldn’t just drop a bomb like that when he wasn’t even sure if he was corresponded to.

Then again, he didn’t just want to sit back and do nothing again. The results would be the same. He didn’t want the same thing to happen with Oikawa.

“Hey, I’m home.” He called out like he usually did, but he didn’t receive a response. Nervously, he walked away from the door and headed toward the living room. That’s when he spotted Oikawa fast asleep over the couch with his phone gripped tightly in his hand. It was blinking, probably from all the missed messages and calls he had sent him just moments ago.

He went toward him and quietly leaned down to check on him. Indeed, he was sleeping and it would be wrong of him to wake him up. A smile formed across his face as he subconsciously touched his soft, beautiful hair, pushing it away from his face. Then, he dropped his bag on the floor and quickly headed to the room. He pulled off the blanket from his bed and brought it over.

“You’re going to catch a cold, silly.” Tadashi placed the blanket over his body, hoping it would be warm enough for him. He adjusted the cushion he was laying his head on to get him in a more comfortable position. Honestly, it would be better if he just woke him up, but he was a coward. He couldn’t face him yet. “There. That should be better, at least for now, anyways.”

He raised the temperature on the thermostat and headed to turn off the lamp that was annoyingly hitting his setter's face. Leaning down, Tadashi found himself staring at him once again. His heart skipped a beat and of course, he couldn’t contain himself further. He reached down to take his phone out of his hand, but the touch of his skin sent a shudder down his spine.

Tadashi didn’t mean to, but he purposefully let his hand linger over his fingers. He wished he could hold his hand and  tell him all the emotions that were threatening to burst. Consequently, he got closer and he was entranced by his features, by his perfection.

And, it only reaffirmed what he had already figured out. His sleeping figure reminded him of how much he wanted to hold him. Despite being with Kei, his vice-captain was the only one that could make him react that way now.

“I...I turned him down...for you. Can you believe? It turns out that he did like me all along, but we never did anything about it.” Tadashi was mostly talking to himself with a voice that was softer than whisper. “You’re the person I like...Oikawa-.”

Now, he definitely wasn’t expecting Oikawa to suddenly open his eyes at the sound of his confession. He bolted up from the couch and Tadashi was so surprised, that he instantly fell back. His setter turned to look at him with amazement, his eyes wide with disbelief. Tadashi was left absolutely speechless and he suddenly wanted to scream. Seriously, that couldn’t be happening. It had to be a nightmare.

“What...did you say?”

“You were pretending to be asleep!? I can’t believe you!?”

“I asked you first?” Oikawa pointed at him, but he was just as flustered and panicked as he was. His face was bright red which was something he had never seen before on his vice-captain. He could barely even speak, but he wasn’t in any better condition. “I heard you...you said you turned him down because of me? You mean, Tsukishima? That I’m...the person you like?”

“No, you must have heard wrong! That wasn’t what I said at all! Maybe you did fall asleep and you heard that in your dreams?” Tadashi nervously laughed and turned around to leave. However, he was grabbed by the arm and prevented from doing so. “Oikawa-san?”

“I know what I heard. You can’t tell me to forget about it. I can’t just pretend that nothing happened. If I did, then it’ll remain the same.” His touch became gentle and he lowered his hand so he grab his. Without permission, he intertwined their fingers and Tadashi didn’t think he had ever felt something so soothing. “Please tell me again, Yama-chan.”

“I don’t know...this wasn’t suppose to happen. I thought you were asleep. I can’t handle this.” Tadashi closed his eyes since his words were nothing but lies. He couldn’t deny it. He was absolutely in love. “You...were pretending to be asleep? Why would you even?”

“Yamaguchi Tadashi, I’m not letting you go until you say that again. I need to hear it.” Oikawa’s face was still flushed red, but he didn’t think he was faring any better. His whole body felt like it was in fire. “I can’t believe you confessed to me thinking I was asleep. What good is that ever going to do?”

“Don’t insist.”

“You should know that I’m pretty stubborn and I’m being really serious right now.” Oikawa held both his hands at that point and his eyes were piercing right through him, demanding the truth. “I really need to know...before I say anything else. I was always hesitating because I thought you had feelings for someone else, but if that’s not the case, then…I’ll tell you too.”

“Tell me?” Tadashi’s heart was racing and their faces were only inches apart. He didn’t know what would happen if they got any closer. “What are you saying?”

  
“I’ll tell you...just how much I love you right back.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading and for your patience!! I really appreciate it and like always, I apologize for my mistakes!!! Also, I want to thank taniushka12 for the [fanart](http://tanis-drawings.tumblr.com/post/149765620584/he-smiled-at-him-and-even-though-the-awkwardness)!!!! I am not worthy, ahhh!!!!
> 
> Chapter 13: He didn't know that his most fatal mistake was actually a blessing in disguise, the beginning of a relationship that he never imagined he would have with anyone.


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